What Language Do They Speak in Antarctica?

It’s the only continent on Earth without an indigenous population. There is no such thing as an official language of Antarctica as of today, but there are various languages spoken on the many research bases across the continent. People from all over the world come to Antarctica to work, conduct research and for tourism, making the continent a multicultural melting pot and pool of native languages from around the globe. But is there something like a distinctive Antarctic language? And which languages dominate on the icy continent? Read on and find out all about it in our Antarctica language mini guide.

A Brief History of Antarctica

1820: Fabian Gottlieb von Bellinghausen (Russia), Edward Bransfield (UK) and Nathaniel Palmer (US) independently sight Antarctica

1821: First disputed landing by John Davis (US), stepping ashore on the Antarctic mainland

1895: First undisputed landing by Carsten Borchgrevink (Norway) and Alexander Francis Henry von Tunzelmann (New Zealand), followed by the first overwintering in Antarctica in 1899

1911: Amundsen’s and Scott’s race to the South Pole, with Roald Amundsen (Norway) reaching the pole 34 days before Robert Falcon Scott’s party (UK)

1928: Hubert Wilkins (Australia) and Carl Eielson (US) complete the first flight over Antarctica

1929: Richard E. Byrd (US) completes the first flight over the South Pole

1956: Opening of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, as part of Operation Deep Freeze to support research during the International Geophysical Year

1957 – 1958: The International Geophysical Year brings together scientists from around the world to collaborate on the Antarctic continent

1959: Signing of the Antarctic Treaty, agreeing that Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes and scientific cooperation, banning military and mining activities

1961: The Antarctic Treaty officially enters into force

1991: Signing of the Madrid Treaty, agreeing to designate Antarctica as a natural reserve and place for peace, science and international cooperation, as well as prohibiting mining and extraction activities for another 50 years

The Languages of Embarkation Port Cities

While there are several places in the Southern Hemisphere (such as South Africa and Australia) from which you can take a cruise to Antarctica, most expedition cruises leave from the port of Ushuaia in South America (Argentina). If you choose to fly to Antarctica, you’ll depart from Punta Arenas in Chile via charter flight. While English is a commonly spoken language in the touristic regions of South America, picking up at least basic Spanish will make your travels smoother and will let you mingle with the locals. For most travelers, the journey to the embarkation port in southern Argentina takes a long time, so it’s the perfect opportunity to add a few days before or after to explore.

What Language is Spoken in Antarctica on Tours & Cruises?

It’s the only continent on Earth without an indigenous population. There is no such thing as an official language of Antarctica as of today, but there are various languages spoken on the many research bases across the continent. People from all over the world come to Antarctica to work, conduct research and for tourism, making the continent a multicultural melting pot and pool of native languages from around the globe. But is there something like a distinctive Antarctic language? And which languages dominate on the icy continent? Read on and find out all about it in our Antarctica language mini guide.

What Language Do People Speak in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands?

In the Falkland Island, the official language is English. As a self-governing British Overseas Territory, locals speak British English. Around 10 percent of the population speaks Spanish; these are usually foreign workers and expats from Chile. The picturesque subantarctic island of South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands, have no permanent residents. With no permanent human population, the only people on these islands are scientists, British Antarctic Survey personnel, temporary workers, government officers, museum staff of the museum in Grytviken and visiting tourists from different nations. Overall, English is mostly used among deployed personnel with mixed cultural backgrounds.

Languages Spoken at Antarctica Research Bases

As a unique international zone governed by the 58 signatory nations of the Antarctic Treaty System, Antarctica’s pool of languages spoken is one of the most diverse in the world. With no permanent residents, scientists, research personnel and supporting staff create unique cultures and societies on the over 70 permanent research bases established by 29 nations on the continent. The main language spoken on each base depends mostly on the native language of its country of origin:

McMurdo Station (US): Operated by the United States Antarctic Program, the main language spoken is English.

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (US): Just like at the McMurdo Station, the station’s main language is English. It’s also operated by the United States Antarctic Program.

Vostok Station (Russia): As a Russian station, its official language is Russian.

Esperanza Base (Argentina): As an Argentine station, Spanish is the primary language spoken.

Davis Station (Australia): Operated by the Australian Antarctic Division, English is the main language used on the base.

The many different languages spoken at the research stations across the continent underline their peaceful international cooperation and give Antarctica a multicultural flair. As a traveler on expedition cruises you may get a chance to visit one of the bases, see how people live and work on the stations, and even mix and mingle with the staff!

The Antarctica Accent

Did you know that by being deployed to Antarctica for a season, you could pick up a peculiar Antarctic accent? The Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich conducted a phonetic experiment with 26 international researchers of the British Antarctic Survey overwintering in 2018 at the Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island (located west of the Antarctic Peninsula). Isolated from the rest of the world and with minimal contact with their home, they recorded the same 29 selected words every few weeks into a microphone. Later, their recordings during their time at the base revealed that their accents were slightly changing! The new accents emerging from their six months in Antarctic isolation originated from quirks and mispronunciations of individuals of the group, which were picked up in turn by others in the group, influencing their own speech production. Vowel pronunciation changed the most during this short period. This short-term experiment provides insights into how American English diverged from British English over the centuries after the Mayflower had sailed west. And it’s not just native English speakers distorting their own language during deployment. With international staff working at research stations, the Antarctic accent is influenced by the accents of non-native English speakers, as well as other languages.

Multilingual Antarctica

Take a peek at a map of Antarctica and you’ll notice that place names give a fascinating glimpse into the global legacy of exploration and research on the white continent. From Gaussberg, an extinct volcano cone in East Antarctica discovered by the 1902 German Antarctic Expedition, to Pourquoi Pas Island in West Antarctica, discovered by the 1908–1910 French Antarctic Expedition, international explorers have left their mark on the Antarctic map. The term nunatak, used for ridges or summits protruding from an ice field, originates from the Greenlandic Inuit language, but found its way into the English language in the late 19th century. The early polar explorers went on using this term during their Antarctic explorations.

FAQs

What language is spoken in Antarctica?

There is no official language of Antarctica. The most commonly spoken language on the white continent is English. Other languages spoken at the many Antarctic research stations include Spanish, Russian, Chinese, French, Italian and Japanese.

How do you say "hi" in Antarctica?

The territory is governed under the Antarctic Treaty. With no permanent residents, people on the continent are mostly scientists and support staff from around the globe. Since the coldest continent has no native language, use either the native tongue you and the person you address speak or use hello or hi in English, the most commonly spoken language in Antarctica.

Which is the most common word in Antarctica?

Given its location, it may be the word ice. People refer to Antarctica commonly as The Ice. Being in Antarctica is referred to as being On the Ice and partners of temporary relationships during an Antarctic season are usually called Ice-wives or Ice-husbands.