The evolution of Creole language in multilingual Mauritius: a socio-historical perspective

The purpose of this communication is to present a brief overview of the evolution of Creole throughout the history of Mauritius, while taking into account the different phases of its settlement as well as its multicultural, multiconfessional and above all, multilingual character; this last trait being characterized by the fact that the country is, in various respects, both an English- and French-speaking country, while also having, in its sociolinguistic landscape, Indian and Chinese languages.

As an institutionalized field of academic research, Creole Studies has emerged in the second half of the 20th century an after, as a prominent feature of social sciences and humanities in several countries marked by European colonization and slave trade. This has also been the case for Mauritius, especially over the last two decades, where from an essentially oral language, Mauritian Creole has obtained official recognition since 2011 and has become a school subject since 2012.