Languages

The official language of T&T is English, or more accurately Trinidad and Tobago Standard English (TTSE). In practice, the spoken tongues on both islands are unique creole dialects derived from the combined historical influences of a multitude of various settlers over centuries.

Trinidad’s Creole is often described as harmonic or melodic to the ear, it has even been voted as one of the sexiest accents in the world. Interestingly, Trinidadians’ speech is an amalgamation of African, East Indian, French, French Creole, British, Asian, and Amerindian linguistic elements, hence its appealing twang.

The indigenous people on the islands also had their own languages which, sadly, have gone extinct for the most part. What we do know is that the Caribs spoke Yao (Trinidad) and Karina (Tobago). The Trinidadian Arawaks spoke Shebaya.

Spanish is also spoken by a small yet significant percentage of the population.