Aruba

{{main|Languages of Aruba}}

{{main|Languages of Aruba}}

Aruba’s official languages are [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and [[Papiamento]]. While Dutch is the sole language for all administration and legal matters,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dutchcaribbeanlegalportal.com/about-us/the-dutch-caribbean |title=About Us |website=DutchCaribbeanLegalPortal.com |access-date=20 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620052254/http://www.dutchcaribbeanlegalportal.com/about-us/the-dutch-caribbean |archive-date=20 June 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Papiamento is the predominant language used on Aruba. Papiamento is a [[Portuguese]]- and [[Spanish]]-based [[creole language]], spoken on Aruba, [[Bonaire]], and [[Curaçao]], that also incorporates words from Dutch and various West African languages.<ref name=”Britannica”/> [[English language|English]] and Spanish are also spoken, their usage having grown due to tourism.<ref name=”Britannica”/><ref name=”autogenerated2″/> Other common languages spoken, based on the size of their community, are Portuguese, Cantonese, French and German.

Aruba’s official languages are [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and [[Papiamento]]. While Dutch is the sole language for all administration and legal matters,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dutchcaribbeanlegalportal.com/about-us/the-dutch-caribbean |title=About Us |website=DutchCaribbeanLegalPortal.com |access-date=20 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620052254/http://www.dutchcaribbeanlegalportal.com/about-us/the-dutch-caribbean |archive-date=20 June 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Papiamento is the predominant language used on Aruba. Papiamento is a [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]- and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-based [[creole language]], spoken on Aruba, [[Bonaire]], and [[Curaçao]], that also incorporates words from Dutch and various West African languages.<ref name=”Britannica”/> [[English language|English]] and Spanish are also spoken, their usage having grown due to tourism.<ref name=”Britannica”/><ref name=”autogenerated2″/> Other common languages spoken, based on the size of their community, are Portuguese, Cantonese, French and German.

In recent years, the government of Aruba has shown an increased interest in acknowledging the cultural and historical importance of Papiamento. Although spoken Papiamento is fairly similar among the several Papiamento-speaking islands, there is a big difference in written Papiamento.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} The orthography differs per island, with Aruba using etymological spelling, and Curaçao and Bonaire a phonetic spelling. Some are more oriented towards Portuguese and use the equivalent spelling (e.g. “y” instead of “j”), where others are more oriented towards Dutch.

In recent years, the government of Aruba has shown an increased interest in acknowledging the cultural and historical importance of Papiamento. Although spoken Papiamento is fairly similar among the several Papiamento-speaking islands, there is a big difference in written Papiamento.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} The orthography differs per island, with Aruba using etymological spelling, and Curaçao and Bonaire a phonetic spelling. Some are more oriented towards Portuguese and use the equivalent spelling (e.g. “y” instead of “j”), where others are more oriented towards Dutch.