Quelles sont les langues officielles de La Réunion ?

Les langues officielles de La Réunion sont le français et le créole réunionnais. Le français est la langue officielle de l'île et est utilisé dans l'administration, l'enseignement et la justice. Le créole réunionnais, qui est parlé par une large partie de la population, est reconnu comme langue régionale.

Quelle est l'origine du créole réunionnais ?

Le créole réunionnais est une langue créole qui s'est développée à partir du XVIIe siècle sur l'île de La Réunion, à partir de l'union de différents dialectes africains, malgaches et indiens. Il a également été influencé par le français, l'anglais et le portugais.

Est-il difficile de parler le créole réunionnais pour un francophone ?

Le créole réunionnais est une langue créole qui présente certaines différences phonétiques et grammaticales par rapport au français. Cependant, pour un francophone, il est généralement assez facile de comprendre et de parler le créole réunionnais, surtout si l'on s'intéresse à la culture et à la vie de l'île.

Creole in Reunion: Travel Glossary

The languages in Reunion Island

Reunion Island is an island in the French overseas departments and territories where the official language is French... Which will greatly facilitate your task during your next stay! However, be aware that you will probably hear some words that will be completely unfamiliar to you. Indeed, in parallel, the inhabitants of the island also speak Reunion Creole.

The history of Reunion Creole

Reunionese Creole is a language that has evolved over time, inheriting influences from various linguistic sources. It's a blend of French, African, Indian, and Malagasy, reflecting the diverse peoples inhabiting Reunion Island today.

During the period of slavery, Creole was the language of the slaves and was also sung in Maloya, a highly figurative form of music. The aim was to communicate messages not understood by the colonizers or mainland French. The latter, in fact, earned a nickname: "Zoreys" (pronounced "zoreille"). Why? Simply because mainlanders, not fully understanding Creole, tend to cock their ears when they hear Réunionese people speaking!

To this day, Réunionese Creole remains the mother tongue of the majority of Réunion's population (55% of them). While heavily used in informal spoken conversations, it's no longer employed in Reunionese schools, where French dominates.

Here are a few words or expressions in Reunion Creole that might be useful to you...

Oté, Koman i lé ? : Hello, how are you?
Léla : I'm fine.
Lé mol : I'm not feeling well.
Loto : car
Moucater : to mock
Pokoué ? : Why?
Sa mèm (mèm) : That's it.
Tantine : girlfriend
Bat karé : to take a walk
Boug : man
Cafrine ou Kafrine : affectionate way to refer to a black or mixed-race Reunionese girl.
Kosasa ? : What is it?
Kwélafé ? : What's going on? What's new?
Gramoune : elderly person
Lé bon : okay

Who speaks Reunion Creole?

According to a study conducted by INSEE, the majority of Réunionnais only speak Creole during their childhood. Conversely, individuals who only speak French are very rare on the island, comprising about 8%. Thus, even though French is taught in school, the practice of Creole persists among adult Réunionnais. 53% of them speak only Creole in their everyday lives. This is actually the best way to distinguish them from Zoreys!

Also, three closely related types of Creoles coexist in Réunion:

"Bas Creole", spoken along the coast of the island. It is based on French influenced by Tamil, an Indian language.
"Hauts Creole", spoken in the mountainous part of Réunion. It is also based on French, influenced by the "petits blancs," authentic light-skinned Réunionnais.
"Urban Creole", spoken by most dark-skinned Réunionnais on the island and increasingly influenced by French. It is the most understandable for mainlanders.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the official languages on the Reunion Island?

The official languages of La Réunion are French and Reunion Creole. French is the official language of the island and is used in administration, education, and the judiciary. Réunion Creole, spoken by a large portion of the population, is recognized as a regional language.

What is the origin of Reunion Creole?

Reunion Creole is a creole language that developed from the 17th century onwards on the Reunion Island, stemming from the fusion of various African, Malagasy, and Indian dialects. It was also influenced by French, English, and Portuguese.

Is it difficult for a French speaker to speak Reunion Creole?

Reunion Creole is a creole language with some phonetic and grammatical differences compared to French. However, for a French speaker, it's generally quite easy to understand and speak Reunion Creole, especially if one is interested in the island's culture and life.