Andrew Holness, Jamaica’s new Prime Minister speaks after being sworn in by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, in Kingston, Jamaica, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Photo by Collin Reid/AP
KINGSTON, Jamaica — What is Jamaica’s true “official language”? Does it have two? Should it acquire a “second language” and if so, what should it be? These questions have had Jamaican commentators tied up in knots for the past week, ever since Prime Minister Andrew Holness remarked in Parliament that he would like to see Spanish as Jamaica’s “second language”, along with compulsory Spanish teaching in schools.
The prime minister made his comments on his return from a meeting of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in Cuba, referring to plans for enhanced cooperation on language learning with that country. His remarks plunged Jamaicans straight into the unresolved and sometimes fierce debate over the use — and acceptance — of Jamaican patois versus the English language.
The discussion continues to reflect considerable divisions in Jamaican society and culture, as well as perceived inequities in its educational system.
If you were to hop from one Caribbean island to the other, you might be surprised at the number of tongues the region speaks. The official languages of Caribbean territories are English, Spanish, Dutch and French, reflecting the region’s colonial legacy, as well as Haitian Creole (Haiti’s official language — along with French — since 1987) and Papiamento (which became the official language of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao in 2003, alongside Dutch). There are also several forms of Creole — including Jamaican patois/patwa — and languages such as Garifuna, spoken by indigenous minorities in St Vincent.
So, some territories do have two official languages, while others, like Jamaica perhaps, have one official and one semi-official language. The debate as to whether Jamaican patois is a language quite separate from English is an old one, but the argument that patois should be recognized as Jamaica’s official language has not gained traction in officialdom.
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As a Jamaican, I think its good to learn more than 1languages because its good to be bilingual and not limit your self from any job opportunities that are looking for bilinguals. I also think learning one of the many languages of AFRICA!! is also good and important , and I wish that Jamaica would also implement that in the school curriculum….
Jamaican's are a fucking disgrace, an island of black people constantly electing half breeds, mixed breeds and anyone else who isn't black to represent them. There are hardly any Spanish speakers or people in Jamaica and they are going to make that an official language, while almost everyone speaks Jamaican and its not an official language? why, because Jamaican is an African language so it gets no respect from the mixed breed elite who HATE Black people. Disgusting. 90% of people speaking Jamaica and its not going to be made the 2nd language, why not just make German the official language. Self hating race traitors.