Trow: A Belize Kriol Tradition

Belizean Creole, or Belize Kriol, is a language spoken by the Belizean Creole people. It is a creole language, primarily English-based, that developed between 1650 and 1930 as a result of the slave trade. It is closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois. Belize Kriol is the first or second language of the majority of Belize's inhabitants and is considered the country's lingua franca.

The origins of Belize Kriol

Belizean Creole, or Belize Kriol, is an English-based creole language spoken by the Belizean Creole people. It is closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois.

Belize Kriol is a contact language that developed between 1650 and 1930 as a result of the slave trade. It first started as a pidgin, allowing slaves and English colonisers within the logging industry to communicate with each other. Over generations, the language developed into a creole, becoming the mother tongue of many Belizean Creole people.

Belizean Creoles, also known as Kriols, are a Creole ethnic group native to Belize. They are primarily mixed-race descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans brought to British Honduras (present-day Belize) and the English and Scottish log cutters, known as Baymen, who trafficked them. Over the years, they have also intermarried with people from various other ethnic groups, including Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans, Mestizos, Europeans, Garifunas, Mayas, Chinese, and Indians.

The Belize Kriol language, which initially developed from interactions between Africans and Europeans, was historically spoken only by them. The Creoles constituted the majority of Belize's population until the 1980s and became synonymous with the Belizean national identity. Today, Creoles are predominantly found in urban areas, such as Belize City, and in most coastal towns and villages.

The Creolization of Belize involved the relationships between slaves and their European masters, resulting in a culture that eventually gave the Creoles significant influence in the country. The masters taught the slaves English, and the Creole language spoken in Belize became a version of English with African words.

Belize Kriol is derived mainly from English but is also influenced by other languages brought to the country through the slave trade. Its substrate languages include the Native American language Miskito, Spanish, and various West African and Bantu languages such as Akan, Efik, Ewe, Fula, Ga, Hausa, Igbo, Kikongo, and Wolof.

How Belize Kriol developed

Belizean Creole, or Belize Kriol, is an English-based creole language spoken by the Belizean Creole people. It is a contact language that developed between 1650 and 1930 as a result of the slave trade.

Belize Kriol is primarily derived from English but is influenced by other languages brought to the country by enslaved people. These include Native American Miskito, Spanish, and various West African and Bantu languages such as Akan, Efik, Ewe, Fula, Ga, Hausa, Igbo, Kikongo, and Wolof.

Belize Kriol, like many creole languages, first started as a pidgin—a simplified language that develops to facilitate communication between communities that do not share a common language. In the case of Belize Kriol, it emerged as a way for enslaved West Africans and their English-speaking owners to communicate. Over generations, the language evolved from a pidgin into a creole as the children of enslaved people took the partial grammar of the pidgin and developed it into a fully-fledged language.

The development of Belize Kriol was influenced by the interaction between enslaved Africans and Europeans. Initially, it was only spoken by these two groups. However, as a result of intermarriage with other ethnic groups, the Creole people of Belize exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics, reflecting their mixed-race ancestry.

Belize Kriol became the lingua franca of Belize, serving as the common language for people speaking different languages, including Spanish, English, Garifuna, and Maya dialects. It is considered a big part of Belizean identity and is the first or second language of the majority of the country's inhabitants.

Belize Kriol today

Belize Kriol is a language spoken by the Belizean Creole people, who are a Creole ethnic group native to Belize. It is an English-based creole language that is closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois. Belize Kriol developed as a result of the slave trade between 1650 and 1930, as enslaved West and Central Africans were brought to British Honduras (now Belize) and mixed their languages with the English of their colonisers.

Today, Belize Kriol is the first or second language of the majority of Belize's inhabitants, with many also speaking standard English. It is the lingua franca of Belize and is used by people of all ethnic backgrounds, including Garifunas, Mestizos, and Maya, as well as Creole people. The language has its own spelling, grammar, and dictionary, and is considered an official language in Belize.

There has been a recent movement to incorporate Kriol more into the Belizean education system and government documentation, led by the Belize Kriol Project and the National Kriol Council of Belize. This movement aims to bring more prestige and recognition to the language. As a result, there has been an increase in literary works using Kriol, including an English-Kriol dictionary, a translation of the Bible's New Testament, and a rise in poetry, fiction, and newspapers written in Kriol.

Belize Kriol has multiple regional vernacular varieties, so the language may sound slightly different depending on the region. For example, the Kriol vernacular in Punta Gorda in southern Belize may differ from the more traditional Kriol spoken in Belize City.

Belize Kriol is an important aspect of Belizean culture and is a source of pride for many Belizeans. It is a unique language that reflects the country's diverse and multicultural population.

Kriol phrases and sayings

Belizean Creole, or Kriol, is an English-based creole language spoken by the Belizean Creole people. It is closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois. It is the first language of some Garifunas, Mestizos, Maya, and other ethnic groups.

Belizean Creole was developed as a lingua franca for those forced to work in the logging industry, and the language is linked to many West African substrate languages. It is derived mainly from English but is influenced by other languages brought to the country due to the slave trade.

• Gud maanin – Good morning
• Weh yu nayhn? – What’s your name?
• Da how yu di du? – How are you?
• Ah mi gat wahn gud gud taim! – I had a great time!
• Weh gaan ahn? – How’s it going?
• Fu chroo? – Really?
• How much fi dis? – How much does this cost?
• Weh you gwein? – Where are you going?
• Yuh aarite? – You’re doing well?
• Weh pawt ih deh? – Where is it?
• Ah tayad – I’m tired
• Di Lumba Yaad – unknown meaning
• Betta No Litta – unknown meaning
• Gimme some a di nice ting – unknown meaning
• Cho! – What on earth!
• You da Belize? – Are you from Belize?
• Weh gaan ahn gyal? – What’s up, girl?
• Da weh time? – What time is it?
• Mi naym da… – My name is…
• Lata! – See you later
• Mi love Bileez! – I love Belize!
• Dah no so, dah naily so. – Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
• One one craboo fill barrel. – Every little bit counts.
• Empty crocus bag kant stan up. – You can’t do proper work if you’re hungry.
• Haud aze pikni go dah market twice. – If you don’t pay attention, you may have to do the work twice.
• Wahnti wahnti kyah geti an geti geti nuh wahnti. – You always want what you can’t have.
• Wait bruk down bridge. – Don’t make me wait too long.
• Sleep wit’ yo’ own eye. – Only rely on what you know, not what others tell you.
• Ah wah know who seh Kriol noh gat no kulcha? – Who said the Creole don’t have any culture?

The Belize Kriol dictionary

Belize Kriol, also known as Creole, is a language with its own spelling, grammar, and dictionary. It is the lingua franca of Belize, with almost all Belizeans speaking and understanding it, even non-Creoles. It is derived mainly from English but is influenced by other languages, including Native American languages like Miskito, Spanish, and a variety of West African languages.

The National Kriol Council was created in 1995 as a nonprofit to promote all aspects of the Creole culture, including the Kriol language. The council has been instrumental in ensuring that Kriol is properly studied, written, and recorded as a language.

• Gud maanin – Good morning
• Weh yu nayhn? – What’s your name?
• Da how yu di du? – How are you?
• Ah mi gat wahn gud gud taim! – I had a great time!
• Mi naym da… – My name is…
• Si yoo lata – See you later
• Evryting gud/aarite – Everything’s fine
• Fu chroo? – Really? Is that right?
• Mi love Bileez! – I love Belize!
• Wahnti wahnti kyah geti an geti geti nuh wahnti – You always want what you can’t have
• Dah no so, dah naily so – Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
• Sleep wit’ yo’ own eye – Only rely on what you know, not what others tell you
• One one craboo fill barrel – Every little bit counts (craboo is a Belizean fruit)

The Kriol language is an integral part of Belize's culture and history, and learning some basic phrases is a great way to connect with the locals and immerse yourself in the country's rich heritage.

Frequently asked questions