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RADIO DROMAGE
By Marleen Julien Souverain
This is part two of Haitian Creole in the digital age, where author Marleen Julien Souverain explores how digital advancements are transforming the accessibility and usage of Haitian Creole.
Awareness of language is a powerful tool. Once you understand the finer points of appropriate register, vocabulary, and style, you can begin to ask questions and express opinions.
I had the good fortune of growing up in a home where the use of Haitian Creole was cultivated with care. My father was dedicated to the study of Haitian culture and history, and my mother made it a point to speak Creole at home, even after our family had settled in the United States. At a young age, my father would get me whatever Haitian Creole materials he could get his hands on. I remember he gave me a manual called ‘Rat se pwazon’ on how to kill rats, just because it was in Haitian Creole. I was also given resources such as a Haitian Creole Bible to help me study the nuances of our language.
When I began to work as a clerk for the Haitian Consulate in 1998, I discovered the many applications of sophisticated writing in both French and Haitian Creole. This early career experience ultimately led to my training as a simultaneous phone interpreter to serve as an intermediary in medical and legal conversations. This practical experience was invaluable. I learned so much during the many situations in which Haitian Creole speakers from all walks of life were confronted with the realities of living in the US. Over the years, I have bridged the language gap in countless situations in hospitals, courts and factory assemblies.
In contrast to major language pairs such as Spanish/English, which have a wide range of training programs and established dictionary resources, I discovered that there were hardly any programs that taught modern translation and interpreting skills to Haitians. Despite the efforts of the Haitian Creole Academy and other language advocates, Haitian Creole has been perceived as a language with predominantly oral use in everyday matters. As the workload for our linguist team grew, we developed our own glossaries for fields such as medical and legal translation. We wanted our translations of government documents or NGO communications to be as useful and efficient as possible for readers at all levels.
At the same time, Haitians began to call for teaching materials that would help them pass on the language to the next generation. Perhaps the comparison with English school books made them realize the value of teaching specific vocabulary and practicing language arts with children.
Based on my many years as a professional linguist, I have the following suggestions for those who share my passion for our beautiful language and want to see it thrive:
Language is a living cultural treasure. Preserving and advancing the use of Haitian Creole depends on all of our contributions – every day.
Marleen Julien Souverain has worked as a language advocate, translator, and interpreter for more than 15 years. She is passionate about preserving the rich linguistic tradition of Haitian Creole and defending language access rights. Her woman-owned company, Creole Solutions, provides language and cultural consulting services for private and public sector clients.
The post Elevating the standing of Haitian Creole appeared first on The Haitian Times.
Écrit par: Viewcom04
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