Languages are a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and written forms, and may also be conveyed through sign languages.
How Many Languages Are Spoken In Mauritius
Mauritians are experienced in several languages. Individuals use numerous languages and dialects to communicate among themselves and the multi-ethnic aspects of Mauritius make it a multi-lingual country. Most Mauritians are at least bilingual, if not trilingual.
BELOW ARE SOME OF THE LANGUAGES THAT ARE SPOKEN IN MAURITIUS:
Official Language of Mauritius
A. The Mauritian Constitution makes no mention of an official language and its one million citizens speak English, French, Mauritian Creole, French-based Creole, and ethnic languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Urdu, Tamil or Mandarin.
B. Both French and English, which have long enjoyed greater social status, are favoured in educational and professional settings.
C. English is generally accepted as the official language of Mauritius as it is the language of government administration, the courts and the business sector.
D. The dominant language in the mass media (newspapers, magazines, radio and TV), as well as in corporate and business dealings is French. In fact, even English-language television programmers are usually dubbed into French. French is also the main language of instruction used in the education system.
E. Virtually everyone working in the tourism industry and in the government departments is able to speak both French and English, and official forms are also available both in French and English.
Mauritian Créole Language
Mauritian Créole, which is spoken by the majority of the population, is considered to be the native language of the country and is used most often in informal settings. There is no official written standard for Mauritian Creole; words are often spelt differently from standard French during verbal communication.
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The Mauritian Creole was developed in the 18th century by slaves who used a pidgin language to communicate with each other as well as with their French masters who did not understand the various African languages. The pidgin evolved with later generations to become a casual language.
The current Mauritian Creole used by the majority of Mauritians incorporates some words from diverse sources including but not limited to French, English, Dutch and Portuguese, and has slight pronunciation differences from standard French.
Does Mauritius speak English?
English is still the official language of Mauritius, but a large proportion of the population does not speak it at all or has at best a very limited knowledge of it. Nonetheless, no other language spoken on the island presents itself as a viable alternative.
Is Mauritius an African country?
Mauritius is a subtropical island country in the Indian Ocean, just over 1,130 kilometres east of Madagascar, off the southeastern coast of Africa. Its outlying territories include Rodrigues Island and other smaller islands.
Which language is mostly spoken in Mauritius?
Mauritian Creole
Mauritian Creole is a French-based Creole and is estimated to be spoken by around 90% of the population. French is the language that tends to be used in education and media, while English is the official language in Parliament, however, members can still speak French.