section_path: Demographics/Languages
section_name: Languages
paragraph_text: Languages
  
  English is the everyday language of communication in Sint Maarten, and first language of most native born Sint Maarteners. A local variety of Virgin Islands Creole is spoken in informal situations by residents. Though it holds official status, Dutch is learned by most Sint Maarteners as a second language, and generally used only when communicating with other Dutch speakers.
  
  The government uses Dutch when in communication with the national government and also formerly did so with the Netherlands Antilles government. Local signage uses both Dutch and English. Historically there were English-medium and Dutch-medium schools on Sint Maarten, but Dutch government policy towards St. Maarten and other SSS islands eventually promoted English-medium education.
  
  Sint Maarten is a polyglot society, most are simultaneously bilingual in Dutch and English, and among them are also speakers of Spanish and French, the latter of which is official on the other side of the island (Saint-Martin). Linguist Linda-Andrea Richardson stated in 1983 that Dutch was a " dead language " in Sint Maarten.
  
  Some residents including Arubans, Curaçaoans and Sint Maarteners who have lived on or descend from the ABC Islands, speak Papiamento. Many Spanish speakers are from the Dominican Republic. Dominicans make up the largest group of legal immigrants.