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The SeaIslandCreoleEnglishLanguage is a NorthEasternAtlanticEnglishBasedCreoleLanguage of the UnitedStates. SIL code: GUL. ISO 639-2: cpe. Population: 125,000 speakers (1977 I. Hancock), including 7,000 to 10,000 monolinguals, and 10,000 in New York City (1989 J. Holm). Region: Coastal region from Jacksonville, North Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida, and especially on the Sea Islands off the Georgia coast. Small clusters in New York City and Detroit. Alternate names: GULLAH, GEECHEE. Dialects: NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. Comments: Intelligibility with other English based creoles is undetermined. Very close to Bahamas Creole and Afro-Seminole. 90% lexical similarity with Afro-Seminole. In limited contact with English, and barely understandable with Standard English. Government bilingual education program begun. Vigorous. Linguistic influences from Fula, Mende, upper Guinea coast, Gambia River area (I. Hancock 1987). Scholars have been predicting its demise for 100 years (W. Stewart). Investigation needed: intelligibility with Bahamas Creole, Afro-Seminole. Dictionary. Literacy rate in first language: 1% to 5%. Literacy rate in second language: 75% to 100%. Swamps, coastal plains. Agriculturalists: rice, cotton. Bible portions 1994.(extract from http://www.ethnologue.com/)
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