Aruban language
Aruba is an autonomous country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, belonging to South America, whose capital is Oranjestad. It has a population of 100,000 inhabitants and an area of 178.91 km 2. Its human development index is very high, and its official currency is the Aruban florin. And what language is spoken in Aruba?
What language do they speak in Aruba?
Aruba has two official languages:
- Dutch, used for administrative and legal purposes, is spoken by 6.1 % of the population.
- Papiamento, spoken by 69.4% of the inhabitants.
Other languages of great importance (as mother tongue) in the country are Spanish (13.7%), English (7.1%) and Chinese (1.5%). If languages as a second language are also taken into account, English is spoken by a total of 42% of the population. It is taught in schools from 4th grade.
The location of the island of Aruba, on the north coast of South America, means that Spanish has a strong relevance in the country. Being considered a language of extreme importance, it is taught in schools from the 5th grade. But it is not something new, since since the 18th century the Spanish language has enjoyed importance due to commercial ties with the Spanish colonies (what today is Venezuela and Colombia). In addition, Aruba receives the signal from various Venezuelan television networks and, also, the country is home to Colombian and Venezuelan immigrants.
The dutch language
Dutch (Nederlands) is the language left as a legacy by the time of the Dutch empire . It is currently only used in public administration, and its use is declining over time. On the island there is only 1 newspaper in Dutch (Amigoe), compared to 4 in Papiamento (Diario, Bon Dia, Solo di Pueblo and Awe Mainta) or 3 in English (Aruba Daily, Aruba Today and The News).
The Papiamento language
Papiamento (Papaiamento) is the de facto national language , spoken by two-thirds of the country. Its use in high official circles is limited. It is a Creole language, based on Portuguese and, to a lesser degree, Dutch, Spanish and English; originated in the 16th century as a language of communication between slaves and their traders. Until 1995, it was not considered an important language in Aruba. It was officially included in schools in 1998 and 1999. Since then, the island has embraced this native language and it became official in May 2003.
Share which languages are spoken in Aruba.