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The thesis is a sociolinguistic study of language ideologies in the Seychelles, a former French slave-based settlement and British colony which has English and French as national languages alongside Seselwa which is the country’s first language. Across ten interrelated chapters, the study explores how historical and contemporary language policies influence community beliefs and practices around language in the Seychelles. The focus is on the roles played by Seselwa, English and French across language policies over time and in different sociopolitical domains throughout the country’s history to date. Through a mixed-methods approach, the thesis examines the continued interplay between declared and de facto language policies in the Seychelles. It highlights the significance of language in the construction of Seychellois identity, as well as the persistent negotiation between dominant and subaltern languages in public domain institutions including the judiciary, the parliament, the public space, public media and public education. Using Shohamy’s De Facto Language Policy Framework, articulated around the postcolonial concepts of language hegemony and the formation of creole identities, the study seeks to uncover the ideologies underpinning language policies, the historical and social factors that shape them, and their practical impact on national identity, social inclusion, and language governance in the Seychelles. Ultimately, the thesis aims to contribute to academic debates on language hegemony, creole identity, and policy development, while offering insights for future language governance in multilingual postcolonial societies.