The Dutch in Seventeenth-Century Senegambia and the Emergence of Papiamentu

Linguistic evidence suggests that the Dutch West India Company's (WIC) presence on Gorée Island and along the Petite Côte in 17th-century Senegambia played a pivotal role in the emergence of Papiamentu, the creole language spoken in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. The study highlights compelling similarities between Papiamentu and Upper Guinea Portuguese Creole, indicating that Dutch traders likely facilitated language transfer during their commercial dominance from 1621 to 1677. This period of Dutch influence in the region is often overlooked but was critical in shaping the linguistic landscape of the Caribbean. The research challenges traditional narratives by emphasizing the significance of this understudied episode and its abrupt end following the loss of Gorée to the French.

JACOBS, B. (2012). The Dutch in Seventeenth-Century Senegambia and the Emergence of Papiamentu. Brokers of Change. https://doi.org/10.5871/bacad/9780197265208.003.0009