Guinea Bissau Portuguese Creole(Kiryol, Kriulo)

Guinea Bissau Portuguese Creole (Kiryol, Kriulo) is a Portuguese base creole of Guinea Bissau. It is also spoken in Casamance a province in Senegal. 

Two theories of origination exist: the Cape Verdean origination theory and the native Guinea Bissau origination theory. In the early 1500s Portuguese slave traders called lançados, typically criminals were thrown out of Cape Verde. They settled on the coast of Guinea and took african wives. These unions produced the restructuring of the Portuguese language, producing the creole. The other theory holds that the creole began with the permanent settlements of the Portugese in Guinea Bissau. In 1570, Cacheu became a permanent trading post for the Portuguese. Later in 1690, Bissau was built. Bissau became the principal feitoria for supplying slaves to the Spanish colonies and Brazil

As of 2010, the creole is estimated to be spoken by 500,000 people as a first language. Over a million people use the language as a trade language. It is a first language in the cities of Guinea Bissau and tends to be a trade language in rural areas. The creole is related to Cape Verdean Portuguese Creole. Three main dialects of the creole exist: those spoken in the coastal towns of Bissau and Bolama; those spoken in Bafatá in the interior; and those spoken Cacheau in the north. The Cacheau variety is spoken in Casamance, Senegal and has French pidgin terms. 

Related Articles: Cape Verdean CreoleSaramaccan ,  Angolar , Papiamentu

Works Cited

Holm, John A(1989). Pidgins and Creoles: Volume 2, Reference Survey. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521359406, 9780521359405.

External Links:

YouTube Video

Tags: portuguese creole