| Judaeo-Papiamento | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Curaçao |
Native speakers | "very few"[1] (2021) |
Portuguese-based creole languages
| |
| Latin (Papiamento orthography) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Glottolog | None |
Judaeo-Papiamento, orJewish Papiamentu, is anendangeredJewish language and anethnolect ofPapiamento spoken by theSephardic Jewishcommunity ofCuraçao in theDutch Caribbean. It is likely the only living Jewish ethnolect based on acreole language and the only one based on a language native to theKingdom of the Netherlands.
Judeao-Papiamento is generally mutually intelligible with Papiamento, the main language of most Curaçaoans, locally known asPapiamentu. Papiamento is usually considered an originallyPortuguese-based creole language that was subsequently partlyrelexified bySpanish, but some linguists argue the opposite, viewing it as a Spanish-based creole with a strong Portuguese influence.[2]
Judeao-Papiamento differs from "general Papiamento" (papiamentu komun) as spoken by the non-Jewish population of Curaҫao in having a number ofHebrew loanwords as well as different pronunciation of many words common for all Papiamento varieties. Oftentimes, the Judeao-Papiamento versions of these words are closer to their Spanish or Portuguese counterparts, hinting at a possible process ofdecreolization. When speakers of any Papiamento variety talk in the more formalregisters, they often use certain words from its lexifier languages almost unchanged. However, there is a difference in their choice of specific literary reference languages. Jewish speakers of Papiamento tend to prefer Portuguese andFrench, whereas non-Jewish Curaçaoans typically use Spanish words in the same settings.[3]
In one of her books,May Henriquez provides a table that shows some of the lexical contrasts between the speech of Jewish and non-Jewish Curaҫaoans.[4]
| Judaeo-Papiamento | General Papiamento | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| afora | afó | out, outside |
| arepita | repa | arepa, round cornmeal pancake |
| bañu | baño | bath |
| bisñetu | bisañetu | great-grandson |
| bizjitá | bishitá | visit (verb) |
| bizjita | bishita | visit (noun) |
| desparesé | disparsé | disappear |
| dignitario | dignatario | dignitary |
| di repente | di ripiento | all of a sudden |
| festehá | selebrá | celebrate |
| festeho | selebrashon | celebration |
| fopá | vupá | misdeed |
| fora (djesei) | fuera (djesei) | besides that |
| gora, gwera | bora | gore, puncture |
| goza | gosa | enjoy, amuse |
| granmèrsi | gremesí | live on others’ expense |
| kamina | kaminda | road, way, where |
| kusta | kosta | cost (verb) |
| lanso | laken, laker | bedsheet |
| mata di roza | mata di rosa | rosebush |