Final answer:
Slaves often used creole languages, a blend of African languages and European languages like English and Portuguese, to communicate among themselves and sometimes in the presence of slave masters. These languages helped them to survive and establish a cultural identity in their new environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the languages used by enslaved people in colonial times. Many slaves were bilingual or even multilingual, as they needed to adapt for survival in the Western world. They often spoke different African languages and a lingua franca to communicate among themselves. Furthermore, the first generations of Africans and Europeans developed a pidgin language—a mix of words and meanings from both languages allowing them to communicate. Over time, several creole languages were developed in different colonies by Africans, such as Gullah in the Lowcountry and Angolar Creole Portuguese in São Tomé. These creoles had origins in African trade settlements and were often used in communication on plantations where Africans significantly outnumbered Europeans. The languages slaves used in the presence of slave masters were typically those that the slaves could speak without causing offense, including the various creole languages.