“Come to Mauritius, speak your language,

And make every moment a linguistic memory.

 

In 1814, following the Treaty of Paris, Île de France was renamed Mauritius and became a British colony. The British, rather than enforcing English as the sole official language, decided to continue using French to ensure stability and reduce potential resistance from the French settlers.

As a result, English was adopted for official and administrative functions, while French retained its role in legal and judicial matters.

 

The Mauritian Creole language emerged as a means of communication from a mix of French, African, and other languages between colonizers and slaves of diverse backgrounds. Today, it has become the lingua franca that unites and defines all Mauritians. It plays a crucial role in the cultural landscape, enriching literature, music, and oral traditions. Once marginalized, Creole has gained recognition and is included in the education system. The coexistence of these three languages reflects the historical and cultural diversity that defines Mauritius.

 

It is correct to say that many Mauritians are becoming quadrilingual, adopting a fourth language to deepen cultural ties with their ancestral lands, like Hindi, Chinese, or Arabic. The growing expat community, returning diaspora, and internationally educated Mauritians, sometimes with foreign spouses, have widened the exposure to languages beyond the traditional ones. Beach vendors are even customizing their sales pitches for German and Italian visitors in their respective languages.

 

Nearly all Mauritians speak at least two UN official languages: English, spoken by 1.5 billion people, and French, with 300 million speakers, expected to rise to 700 million by 2050. Additionally, Mandarin Chinese, another UN official language, spoken by 1.1 billion people, is being learned for its increasing economic power.

 

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