The Papiamento language is a proof of their history, it is a reflection of the hybridity and complexity of Aruban society, in which the language functions as a bridge between the colonial past and the present.

 

In the following video, you can find a short résumé about Aruba's history, and how that history developed the language of Papiamento.

 

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While the video talks about Papiamento in a historical context, the other languages that impact Papiamento have done so throughout its history and not just in its genesis. Because Aruba autonomously falls under the rule of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,  official government business is conducted in Dutch. The other important languages on the island such as English and Spanish, are mostly learned out of economic need to be able to accommodate for the flourishing tourism industry as well as the oil industry that is financially important for Aruba. For example, English is quite important for Aruba because of the American oil companies that have conducted business on the island since the opening of the Lago oil refinery in 1927 (Sanchez, 2006, p.298). The refinery was closed for a while in the 1980’s due to the falling price of oil at that time, but has since that time reopened. For Aruba, Spanish is an important language also due to the oil industry, which was for a time a middle point for the distribution of Venezuelan oil but also proximity to the country. As a consequence within the linguistic field, Spanish, Dutch, and English have a big hegemony in economic terms, leaving the use of the local language in a second level in this area. However, it should be noted that in the daily life of the population the local language is a central element in their sense of belonging to the island and to the creole languages in general.

 

All three of the A, B, C islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) speak Papiamento but have certain words and phrases that pertain to each island community. Even though the language was not made an official language until 2003  (Language policy) section, it has been the main medium of everyday communication. The prestige of the speakers of Papiamento is unprecedented in creole languages as Jacobs (2018) states, because it is spoken despite class or education. While Dutch is still very important in official matters and education, Papiamento is also spoken alongside Dutch, even in politics. Papiamento is in the everyday lives of Arubans and is related to this sense of community which a very deep on the island, while the other languages (Spanish, English, Dutch) are also very important depending on work or education. Many people on the islands can speak all four languages fluently. This multilingualism is a point of pride and reflects the transcultural and linguistic entanglements of Aruban society.