Trinidadian Spanish

Trinidadian Spanish(castellano trinitenseorcastellano trinitario) refers to the Spanish natively spoken byCocoa Panyolsin Trinidad and Tobago which is very close to extinction.
Thecurrent situation of Spanish in Trinidad and Tobagois complex due to the recent influx of Venezuelan migrants and a misguided popular belief that there was never ahispanophonepresence on the island, resulting in all Spanish speakers are labeled asVenezuelanor "Spanish". Most native Spanish speakers in Trinidad were historically found in theSanta Cruz,Caura Valley,Paramin,Lopinotand other rural communities working in and around the cocoa industry.The local dialect of Trinidadian Spanish is almost completely lost due to its social status (as a language for the poor or migrants), the prestige of English under British rule and larger influxes of non-Hispanic communities:East Indians,Chinese,Portuguese, Syrians, etc. But due to the country's proximity to the coast of Venezuela, the country is currently slowly developing a relationship with Spanish-speaking peoples, and therefore the government requires that Spanish be taught in secondary education. Specifically, in 2004, when the government appointed Spanish as the first foreign language, launched in March 2005, the East Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, Syrians, etc. study Spanish.
The last vestiges of Hispano-Trinidadian culture can be seen in the Christmas period. Traditional music from the Northern Range,Parangagalicismoof Parranda, uses theJoropo,GaitaandPolomusic styles among others and is sung in Spanish. More recent Soca Parang and Chutney Parang have been performed in English.Pastelles, or pasteles in Spanish, are also eaten.
Trinidadian Spanish is closely related to the Spanish found in the east of Venezuela (Sucre,Caribbean Coast) andMargarita Islandand shares many features withCaribbean Spanishin general. Due to the Venezuelan presence in Trinidad, it is likely that the local dialect of spoken Spanish will become ever morevenezolanoorsucrense.
The Spanish claimed Trinidad in 1498 and settled on the island in 1560. Spanish speakers on the island have been present in some form ever since. European settlers were small in number but the indigenous people were taught and proselytized in Spanish.After the Cédula de Población,French Creoletook over aslingua francaamong the newly arrived peoples, then replaced by English after 1797 when Britain officially took the island. The second wave of Spanish speakers came in the form ofpeons, eastern Venezuelan agricultural workers who arrived in the early 19th century. Due to their low economic and social status, Spanish was stigmatized as a language of thePanyolsso was quickly dropped by many descendants or not taught at all for fear of passing onbad English.
Due to socioeconomic factors and geographic isolation, Spanish, the local variety especially, was not adopted or even heard by large parts of the population.
Except from these two larger migrations, throughout Trinidad's history, there have been movements of people in smaller numbers between Venezuela (and to a lesser extent other Spanish-speaking countries, mostly Colombia, Venezuela's neighbor) and Trinidad. These include the 'bozal' Spanish-speaking African Slaves from Spanish America,descendants of Trinidadians who migrated fromEl CallaoandGüiriaand migrants fromMaracaibofor the petroleum and cocoa industry. In the 21st century, this migration was induced by the economic decline in Venezuela and the island's close proximity and flights to other locations.
The lexicon of Trinidadian Spanish is very similar to that of Eastern Venezuelan and Margaritan Spanish, with some words borrowed from Cariban, Arawakan, English, Patois, Caribbean Hindustani, and Portuguese. It is most developed in the aspects of life that were traditionally most in the Panyol culture: Cocao, farming, hunting, religion, and food.