Languages

The island of Barbados has adopted English as its official language, and the language is utilized for all administrative and public functions. The standard of English in the nation tends to follow the vocabulary, pronunciations, spellings, and conventions that are similar to, but not quite identical to, those of British English. This is because English is the official language of the nation. It is utilized in the print and broadcast media, the legal system, the government, and regular business.

Most Barbadians speak a distinct version of English known as Bajan in everyday situations, particularly in casual settings, in music, or in social commentary. Bajan sounds very different from the Standard English spoken on the island when it is fully developed. The extent of creolize vocabulary and idioms determines how understandable Bajan and general English are. An English-speaker from another nation can find a Bajan speaker entirely incomprehensible. The English spoken in other Caribbean countries has influenced Bajans.