Santiago Creole

Characteristics

• The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting sâ tâ before the verbs: sâ tâ + V.
• In the verbs, the stress goes back to the before the last syllable in the forms for the present. Ex.: cánta instead of cantâ “to sing”, mêxe or mêxi instead of mexê “to move”, pârti instead of partí “to leave”, cômpo or cômpu instead of compô “to fix”, búmbu instead of bumbú “to put on the back”.
• Some speakers pronounce the voiced sibilants as voiceless. Ex. cássa instead of cása “house”, ôxi instead of ôji “today”.
• Some speakers pronounce the sound as. Ex.: cáru instead of cárru “car”, féru instead of férru “iron”, curâl instead of currál “corral”.
• The sound is slightly aspirated.
• The sounds, and are pronounced as alveolars,, and not as dentals,,
• The nasal diphthongs are de-nasalized. Ex.: mâi instead of mãi “mother”, nâu instead of nãu “no”.
• The stressed sound is pronounced when it is before the sound at the end of words. Ex.: curâl instead of currál “corral”, mâl instead of mál “bad”, Tarrafâl instead of Tarrafál “Tarrafal”.

  Vocabulary

Grammar

Phonology

Alphabet