Gullah

/ˈɡʌlə/ noun

Definition

A creole language spoken by African American people in the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia, blending English with West African languages.

Etymology

Possibly from 'Angola' or from the name of the Gola people of West Africa. The language developed among enslaved and freed Black people who maintained cultural and linguistic ties to Africa while acquiring English.

Kelly Says

Gullah is a living time capsule—it preserves West African grammar patterns and vocabulary that disappeared from mainstream English centuries ago, making it invaluable to linguists studying African diaspora history.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.