Meltingpot Musings -- The Language of Belize

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Recently I had a passing conversation with a beautiful man from Belize named Armando. I'll probably never see him again, but something he said captured my imagination. He told me, speaking with a slight accent, that the languages of Belize were, English, Spanish, Creole and Mayan. I always thought Belize was only an English speaking country, the only English speaking country in Central America, in fact. Honestly, I don't know that much about Belize, but when I lived in New York City I met quite a few expats from the country and they all spoke English exclusively. They often joked that people expected them to speak Spanish and they always had to disappoint.

Armando changed that perception for me. When chatting in Spanish, his accent sounded native even though his fluency was a little dicey. But still.

Tell me Meltingpot readers, what do you know about the language of Belize? I'd like to know more. Especially about the creole. I've always wondered if a Spanish/African/English creole language existed and if so, where.

I'm listening.

Peace!