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Aruba Languages |
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Because Aruba was once a Dutch state of sovereignty, the island's official language is Dutch. No need to arrange a translator, however, because both English and Spanish are widely spoken. Not only are these two languages commonly heard around the island, visitors will also find locals have mastered accents and nuances of American speech. Dutch has been the official language of the island for years as the island was a long time member of the Netherlands Antilles, and is now an independent state within the Dutch Kingdom, but Aruba has recognized English as an international language. This means children are required to learn English as early as the 4th grade. Aruba's location off the coast of South America has also made Spanish extremely important, and students begin learning this as early as 5th grade. French, however, is not a required language, though it is widely offered. At home, most Arubans speak the island's imported colloquial language of Papiamento. Papiamento, a wild combination of Dutch, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, is the language originated in the trio of islands called the ABC islands. This language reflects their open-armed acceptance of other cultures. Papiamento was initially created in 16th century Cura�ao as a slave language that allowed slaves and slave owners to communicate. Papiamento's cadence is influenced by missionaries from Portugal and Spain as well as the native Arawaks. This native language was not considered to be as important until 1995, and was officially added to school curriculum in the 1998 and 1999 school year on Aruba. Now visitors can find a Papiamento dictionary in bookstores, and fairy tales written in the language. However, remember that, like any language, there are variations in dialect between the three ABC islands, the only places in the world where Papiamento is the native tongue. If you're up to it, below you'll find common Papiamento phrases to test on the locals:
So, when you're out and about in Aruba, try your hand at a few native phrases, or just feel comfortable speaking any of the languages that are common on the island. Related Articles
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