Liberian English

E767811

Liberian English is a group of English dialects spoken in Liberia that blend Standard English with local languages and unique phonological and grammatical features.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf English dialect
dialect continuum
variety of English
associatedWith Liberian diaspora communities
basedOn English language
closelyRelatedTo Ghanaian English
linked to: African English

Nigerian English
West African English
linked to: African English
country Liberia
developedSince 19th century
hasDialect Konglish (Liberian Kongo English)
linked to: Liberian English

Kru Pidgin English
Merico English
linked to: English

Settler English
Standard Liberian English
linked to: Liberian English

Vernacular Liberian English
linked to: Liberian English
hasGrammaticalFeature simplified tense and aspect marking in more basilectal varieties
use of invariant question tags in some varieties
variable marking of third person singular present tense -s
hasLexicalFeature loanwords from Liberian Kreyol and indigenous languages
hasPhonologicalFeature influence of tonal patterns from local languages on intonation
reduction or absence of final consonant clusters in some varieties
variable realization of interdental fricatives /θ/ and /ð/
hasRegister acrolect
basilect
mesolect
hasStatus de facto national language variety of Liberia
hasSuperstrate English language
hasWritingSystem Latin script
linked to: Latin alphabet
historicalInfluence African American Vernacular English
American English
influencedBy Atlantic languages
Kru languages
Liberian Kreyol
linked to: Liberian English

Mande languages
indigenous Liberian languages
ISO639Status not separately coded from English
languageFamily Germanic languages
Indo-European languages
region West Africa
spokenIn Liberia
subfamily West Germanic languages
usedAs lingua franca in Liberia
usedIn education in Liberia
government in Liberia
media in Liberia
urban areas of Liberia

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (13)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Buduburam primaryLanguageSpoken Liberian English
Liberian diaspora languageUsed Liberian English
Virginia, Montserrado County localLanguages Liberian English
subject linked to: Virginia
Liberian English influencedBy Liberian Kreyol
linked to: Liberian English
Liberian English hasDialect Standard Liberian English
linked to: Liberian English
Liberian English hasDialect Vernacular Liberian English
linked to: Liberian English
Liberian English hasDialect Konglish (Liberian Kongo English)
linked to: Liberian English
Weah languageOfOrigin Liberian English
Bushrod Island languageUsed Liberian English
Gio language contactWithLanguage Liberian English
Grebo language usedAlongside Liberian English