About Amerindian Languages
As noted previously, eighteen persons participated in our survey. Of these
seventeen (17) participants believed that the Amerindians had a language and one (1) participant did not know. The seventeen participants were unable to list the languages spoken by the Amerindians and the other individual was able to list the language as garifuna.
When further questioning was done, twelve (12) of the eighteen (18) persons were of the belief that the languages are still in existenece in the Caribbean while the remaining six (6) participants think that they have all been extinct. The participants were also asked to list the countries in which they believe that these languages are still inherent and these are note in the appendices.
The participants were asked to give their views on ‘willingness to learn the Amerindian language.’ Here, the majority had varying answers as to why they do not want to learn the languages. Others were not sckeptical about the idea.
Focus was then placed on the Garifuna, Garinagu or Black Caribs. Of the eighteen (18) partakers the majority, that is eleven (11), admitted to never hearing the term; six (6) have heard it and one (1) was unsure. They were asked to list the countries which they believed this term can be found (see appendices) for results.
The conclusions made form this survey , about people’s awareness of Amerinidian languages, is that the majority were unaware, and this may be one of the reasons for the endangering and possible death of the languages which add to our linguistically vibrant Caribbean.
Please login to view the full essay...