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noticeGuyanese Creole ('Creolese' by its speakers: or simply Guyanese) is an English-based creole language spoken by people in Guyana. Guyanese is an English lexified language with influences from Dutch, West African Languages, Arawakan and Carib languages, and to a lesser extent Indian languages. It is related to Paramaccan and Aluku. There are many sub-dialects of Guyanese Creole based on geographical location, urban/ rural divide and race of the speakers. For example, along the Rupununi River where the population is largely Amerindian, a distinct form of Guyanese Creole exists. The Georgetown (capital city) urban area has a distinct accent while within a forty-five minutes drive away from this area the dialect/accent changes again, especially if following the coast where rural villages are located. As with other Caribbean languages, words and phrases are very elastic, and new ones can be made up, changed or evolve within a short time period. They can also be used within a very small group, until picked up by a larger community. Different ethnic groups of the country are also known to alter or include words from their own backgrounds. A socially stratified creole speech continuum also exists between Guyanese English and English. A phrase like "I told him" may be pronounced in various parts of the continuum: |