Here is a detailed summary about the Portuguese language in Guinea-Bissau, based on the available information:

Portuguese Language in Guinea-Bissau

Official Status and Usage

• Portuguese is the official language of Guinea-Bissau, used by the government, public administration, and the education system.

• However, Portuguese is not the native language of the majority of the population. Only about 11% to 15% of the population have an acceptable command of Portuguese, with even fewer speaking it as their mother tongue.

• Approximately 60% of the population speaks Portuguese as a first or second language, but most people use Guinea-Bissau Creole in daily life.

Guinea-Bissau Creole

• Guinea-Bissau Creole, a Portuguese-based creole language, is the most widely spoken national language, with about 90% of the population using it as their main language.

• The creole has regional dialects, such as those spoken in Bissau and Cacheu.

• It serves as the lingua franca that unites the country’s diverse ethnic groups, who also speak African languages like Fula, Balanta, and Mandinka.

Influence of Other Languages

• Guinea-Bissau is geographically surrounded by French-speaking countries such as Senegal and Guinea-Conakry and has a significant immigrant community from these countries.

• As a result, French has gained ground, being taught in schools and used in commercial and institutional contexts, becoming the second most spoken language after Creole.

• English also appears in some sectors, especially in the job market, which has caused complaints among young Guineans who feel discriminated against by job ads in French and English, to the detriment of Portuguese.

Sociocultural Context

• Guinea-Bissau is a multilingual and multiethnic country, with groups such as Balanta and Fulani making up more than half the population, alongside Manjacos, Mandinkas, and Papel.

• This cultural and linguistic diversity is reflected in the country’s artistic, religious, and social expressions.

• Portuguese, despite being official, coexists with this diversity and faces challenges in becoming the everyday language of use.

Final Considerations

• Portuguese is the official language and a symbol of national unity, but its practical presence is limited to a portion of the population, mainly concentrated in the capital and urban areas.

• Guinea-Bissau Creole is the lingua franca and the main means of communication among the diverse ethnic groups.

• The pressure from neighboring languages, especially French, and the influence of English in the labor market challenge the consolidation of Portuguese as the dominant language.

• Youth movements in Guinea-Bissau advocate for greater appreciation and use of Portuguese in public and private spaces to preserve the country’s cultural and historical identity.

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