| Antiguan and Barbudan Creole | |
|---|---|
| Leeward Caribbean Creole English | |
| Native to | Leeward Islands |
English Creole
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | aig |
| Glottolog | anti1245 |
| Linguasphere | to -apm 52-ABB-apf to -apm |
 Primary branches of Antiguan and Barbudan Creole: North Antiguan South Antiguan Barbudan Montserratian Saint Kitts Anguillan Kokoy | |
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There are several varieties ofAntiguan and Barbudan Creole[a] forming a branch of the Eastern Caribbean Creole, many of which are only partiallymutually intelligible. Variation is strongest in the mountainous regions of southwestern Antigua. The varieties are classified into seven main groups:North Antiguan,South Antiguan,Barbudan,Saint Kitts,Anguillan,Montserratian, andKokoy.
Antiguan and Barbudan Creole forms adialect continuum, with varieties tending to become less mutually intelligible by distance.
Each variety has a distinct vocabulary. North Antiguan has experienced significant decreolisation and has the highest number of acrolectal speakers. North Antiguan uses the pronounsshi,i, andhi,[7] compared to the pronounsom andi in the most basilectal variety South Antiguan.[8] The Saint Kitts variety tends to use local terms to describe complex subjects, unlike the varieties used in Antigua and Barbuda that primarily switch to acrolect when comfronted with these subjects. Montserratian has many Irish language terms such asménsha, used to describe a young female goat. Montserratian also uses many other terms only seen in the southern United States.[9] In Anguilla, the termti is used for the English word "it". The North Antiguan worda, used in most of the other varieties, is instead rendered asuh in Anguillan.[10]
Usage of creole is frowned upon in professional circumstances in all of these countries. It tends to be more accepted in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Saint Kitts and Nevis due to these countries seeking to separate themselves from the British colonial past. North Antiguan tends to be the most respected variety due to its similarities with standard English and its dominance as the most spoken variety of the language, especially in Antigua and Barbuda. Speakers of Antiguan and Barbudan Creole nearly always identify with their dialect instead of with the language as a whole.[11] Kokoy and South Antiguan are both minority languages on their islands, and these varieties are also the most distant from North Antiguan, with these dialects nearly always being viewed unprofessional.[12] Code switching is especially common, usually withCaribbean English dialects such asAntiguan and Barbudan English or between basilectal, mesolectal, and acrolectal varieties.[11]
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