The
Mauritian constitution makes no mention of an official language. It is only in
the Parliament that the official language is English, but any member of the
National Assembly can also address the chair in French. English is generally accepted as the official
language of Mauritius and as the language of government administration, the
courts and business while the lingua franca remains French. Most Mauritians are
equally fluent in English and French.
In
Mauritius, people switch to languages according to the situation; French and
English are favoured in educational and professional settings while Asian
languages are used in religious activities and Creole as mother tongue. French
is mostly used in the media and literature. Some ancestral languages which are
also spoken in Mauritius include Arabic, Bhojpuri, Hakka Chinese, Hindi,
Marathi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. School students
must learn English and French; they have the option to study Asian languages
and Creole. The medium of instruction varies from school to school but is
usually French or English.
A visit to Mauritius can be followed by a Guided Tours and Safaris in South Africa or a Kruger Safari in South Africa
