Alternate Names: Creole, Patois
Dialects: Aku. Krio and Jamaican Creole ,, and Krio and Sea Islands Creole , may have some interintelligibility. Linguistic influence from Yoruba , (Hancock 1987).
Genealogy:
Demographics: 473,000 in Sierra Leone (1993). Population total all countries: 495,600. L2 users: 4,000,000 in Sierra Leone (1987 F. Jones). L2 users prefer indigenous languages for informal situations.
Language Use: Vigorous. More in provincial towns than villages, and for interethnic communication. Possibly half use Krio at work. Formal language for those who do not speak English. All domains, education. All ages. Also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Mende [men], Northern Kissi [kqs], Susu [sus], Themne [tem], Yalunka [yal].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Less than 15% in English. Taught as an elective from primary to college level. NT: 1986–1992.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Sierra Leone
Other Comments: L1 Krio speakers mainly descendants of repatriated slaves from Jamaica. Traditional religion, Christian.