Almost every one of the ten million inhabitants of the Dominican Republic speaks its state language. In the Dominican Republic, it is Spanish, and its appearance in the eastern part of the island of Haiti is associated with the discovery of America by the expeditions of Christopher Columbus. The history of Spanish in the Dominican Republic is very similar to that in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean countries.
Some statistics and facts
- Only Indian tribes inhabited the island of Haiti until the end of the 15th century, when it was discovered by Columbus. Called Hispaniola, the island was colonized a few years later and the Spanish language quickly spread throughout what is now the Dominican Republic.
- Permanent immigration from the country of Haiti to the Dominican Republic led to the fact that part of the population of the republic speaks Creole.
- In the province of Samana, 8,000 locals speak English and consider it their native language.
Spanish in the Dominican Republic
The appearance of the Spanish colonialists radically changed the habitual course of life of the Tain Indian tribe living on the island of Haiti. Spanish began to be implanted as the main language along with the Christian religion. As a result, the modern state language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish with numerous borrowings from Indian dialects, generously seasoned with the lexical expressions of black slaves brought to the island from Africa.
The colonization of eastern Haiti by the French also influenced the formation of a distinctive Dominican Spanish. There are many French words and expressions in the lexicon of the Dominicans.
Tourist notes
The Dominican Republic is one of the most touristic regions in the Caribbean and it is tourism that serves as the main item of the local budget. For this reason, most of the country's residents engaged in this business learn English and speak it well at a household level. In hotels and restaurants, in shops and on excursions, English-speaking tourists usually have no problems communicating and understanding the local population.
If you want to impress and become the most desirable visitor to a hotel restaurant or discotheque, learn a few common phrases in the state language of the Dominican Republic. This way you will be guaranteed the special attention and respect of the staff.
When planning excursions, it is better to use the services of certified guides so that the trip is safe and comfortable.
