164,000 (1995). Independent member of the British Commonwealth. 238 sq. miles. Literacy rate 54%. Christian, traditional religion. Blind population 2,276 (1991 census). Deaf population 800. Deaf institutions: 1. Data accuracy estimate: A1. The number of languages listed for St. Lucia is 2.
ENGLISH [ENG] 322,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Indo-European, Germanic, West, North Sea, English. Dialect: ST. LUCIAN ENGLISH. National language. Bible 1535-1989. NT 1525-1985. Bible portions 1530-1987.
LESSER ANTILLEAN CREOLE FRENCH (PATWA, PATOIS, KWÉYÒL) [DOM] 131,200 in St. Lucia (1995), 80% of the population; 83,780 in Dominica (1986); 335,000 in Guadeloupe (1975); 325,000 in Martinique (1975); 150,000 in France (1974 MARC); 1,024,980 in all countries. Also in Grenada. Creole, French based. Dialects: DOMINICA CREOLE, GUADELOUPE CREOLE, MARTINIQUE CREOLE, ST. LUCIA CREOLE. In the islands under French influence nearly all the population speaks creole as mother tongue, although there is a local variety of Standard French. In those under English influence, the creole has less standing, and its speakers are normally illiterate in the creole. Guadeloupe dialect is similar to Haiti, close to Martinique; St. Lucia is close to Dominica. Goodman (1964) says all French creoles of the Caribbean are somewhat inherently intelligible to each other's speakers. Other sources also include those of the Indian Ocean and probably Southeast Asia and Oceania (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977). The French creole in St. Vincent is virtually gone. Standard French is understood by no more than 10% of the population in St. Lucia. Speakers are 36% literate in English. The Creole has an orthography. It is used on the radio, on television, in a newspaper, and in some church services. Politicians give speeches in Creole. English is learned as second language. Dictionary. Grammar. Christian. Bible portions 1894-1992. Work in progress.
Part of the Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor.
Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. All rights reserved.
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