Sranang Tongo ("Surinamean tongue"), also Sranan Tongo or (pejorative) Takki Takki, is a Creole language spoken as a native language by 100 000 people in Suriname.
The Sranang Tongo words for 'to know' and 'small children' are sabi and pikin which, according to the monogenetic theory of pidgin formation (contested by many if not most linguists in this area of research), identifies it as a derivation of Lingua franca, also known as Sabir.
Since this language is shared between the English-, Dutch-, Javanese- and Hindustani-speaking communities, most Surinamese speak it as a second language.
Sranang Tongo is a fusion of Dutch, English, Portuguese and Central and West African languages. It matches traditional creole patterns: it has no inflections or declensions, a simple vocabulary (in the thousands of words), and is relatively easy to learn. Many people consider Sranang Tongo as a creolized form of English only.
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Last updated: 05-07-2005 08:01:35
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04
