| Also Known As: Malaqueiro,Serani,Kristang,Malaquenho,Bahasa Geragau,Malayo-portuguese,Bahasa Serani,Malaquense,Malaysian Creole Portuguese,Malaccan,Portuguese Patois,Papia Kristang,Português de Malaca,Malaquês,Malaccan Creole Portuguese
Description:
Papiá Kristang ("Christian language"), or just Kristang, is a creole language. It is spoken by the Kristang, a community of people of mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry, chiefly in Malacca (Malaysia) and Singapore.
The language is also called Cristão or Cristan ("Christian"), Português de Malaca ("Malacca Portuguese"), or simply Papiá.
The language still has about 5,000 speakers in Malacca and another 400 in Singapore. About 80% of the older Kristang in Malacca regularly speak it. There are also a few speakers in Kuala Lumpur due to migration.
Kristang is also spoken by some immigrants and their descendants in the United Kingdom, where some settled after independence, and also in Australia, in particular the city of Perth, which is a popular destination for retirees from this community.
In Pulau Tikus, there were more speakers in 1997 than in 1987.
The Kristang language originated after the conquest of Malacca (Malaysia) in 1511 by the Portuguese. The community of speakers descends mainly from marriages between Portuguese settlers and local Malay women, as well as a certain number of migrants from Goa, themselves of mixed Indian and Portuguese ancestry.
Kristang had a substantial..... full article at Wikipedia |
