Sranan

[ srah-nuhn ]

noun

1. an English-based creole widely spoken in Suriname.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sranan¹

First recorded in 1950–55; from Sranan: literally, “Suriname (tongue)”

Example Sentences

The chorus of “You can’t break me” is sung in Sranan Tongo, the lingua franca of his native Suriname in South America.

From New York Times

Following thi logic, we examined the pronunciation of Sranan, an English-based Creole still spoken in Suriname.

From Scientific American

In 1667, soon after Sranan was formed, the English ceded Suriname to the Dutch, and most English speakers moved elsewhere.

From Scientific American

So the indentured servants and other migrants from England had a brief but strong influence on Sranan.

From Scientific American

It turned out that 80 percent of the English features in Sranan could be traced back to regional dialectal features from two distinct locations within England: a cluster of locations near the port of Bristol and a cluster near Essex, in eastern England.

From Scientific American