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Creole Language in Haitiby Lanah LherissonBlack and Puerto Rican Studies 101 Introduction Definitions History Creole: The language of the people The forbidden language Language is power Personal interviews Conclusion References
Introduction Haiti is comprised of two official languages, French and Creole. "A creole language is a pidgin that has developed and become the mother tongue for a community of people." (13) Haitian Creole is the major language spoken throughout Haiti. There is some controversy concerning the Creole language in Haiti. "There is, at present, an argument going on in Haiti as part of the on-going Creole/French debate. The argument is about whether Creole should have become the official language of the country when independence was declared in 1804." (7) Although this argument was not the basis of this paper nor the interviews performed, the relevance and utilization of Creole was debated within the four interviews that were conducted. This paper will explore the issues surrounding language in Haiti by looking at the following topics: definitions, history, and the Creole language. DefinitionsHaiti is located in the Caribbean on the western part of the island of Hispaniola. "The name Haiti actually means mountainous land in the language of the Arawaks, who were the first inhabitants of the island." (4) Haiti shares an island with the Dominican Republic.
Language is the method in which human beings are able to communicate. The official language in Haiti is French and Creole. Both languages are used. However, the use of Creole without question is most prevalent. There is a large quantity of people who speak only Creole and no French at all.
Whether Creole was used as a contact language between masters and enslaved people or within enslaved people themselves is debatable. Some believe that the masters and enslaved people needed a form of communication and Creole was the product of those two groups of people. Others believe that enslaved people formed the Creole language while trying to communicate within their different languages, all originating from Africa. "It (Creole) arose out of a need for the slaves, with their knowledge of African languages, to communicate in a language closer to that of their overseers."(2) Whether this is referring to communication within themselves or with their master is unknown. HistoryCreole is the language of struggle. When looking at the history of Haiti, the mistreatment of the Haitian population can be observed:
With knowledge of Haiti’s past one can become better aware of the hardships people were forced to endured. Through Haiti’s history, reasons for the large mass of Creole speakers in Haiti today is revealed.
French concern about the economy of their plantations, led to the importing of a great number of enslaved people to Haiti, formally St. Domingue. Taken from Africa for labor purposes, these people were forced to work the land. As a result, perhaps along with other reasons, there is a high percentage of Creole speakers in Haiti.
The growing number of enslaved people being imported was so drastic that "Frenchmen became plantation owners, eventually importing 800,000 black slaves from West Africa." (17) Officials finally recognized that the Creole language needed to be installed in facilities in Haiti. "In 1961, Haitian Creole became an official language and was granted legal and educational status in Haiti." (3) Creole was now recognized, by some, as an important part of Haitian culture. Haiti’s victory came when,
Regarding the formation of the Creole language, Holm states, "Working from figures in Curtin (1969), Singler (1986a) concludes that ‘The evidence for the period from 1711 through 1740 suggests that the two most important African language groups for the formation of Haitian Creole are Mande and Kwa, particularly Bambara-Malinke-Dyula and Ewe-Fon." (9) Creole: The language of the People"Haitian Creole is the native speech of almost all the inhabitants of the Haitian Republic, numbering approximately three million in 1944." (8) The numbers were high then but now have doubled since 1944: "Haitian creole is primarily spoken in the Caribbean on the western part of the island of Hispaniola and has the largest number of speakers of all the Caribbean creoles –around 6 million." (1) The majority of people, if not all are speakers of Creole. "It is the mother tongue of virtually the entire population; furthermore, it is the only language of 90 to 95 percent of the population. The rest are bilingual in both Standard French and Haitian Creole." (3) With an excess of speakers, one would not think that the language, Creole, would be seen as one that is inferior. The Forbidden Language Unfortunately even its speakers see Creole as an inferior language. In many households, parents forbid their children to speak Creole, a language that is to be spoken only to the maid of the house or the gardener:
The history of Creole has a severe impact on its speakers by labeling them as low class people. "Because historically creole was spoken mainly by a group of people who had been denied educational opportunities, it became associated with the poor and laboring class, and often families would forbid their children from learning and speaking it, encouraging them instead to become proficient in the dominant European language alone." (2) The view of Creole as a negative language is presently occurring. Language Used as PowerAlthough Creole is now an official language in Haiti, the French language is still associated with the rich and high class people meanwhile Creole is associated with the poor and lower class people. Many people tend to relate Creole as the language of the poor. A stereotype has been put on the Creole language and unfortunately people still do not see Creole as the beautiful language that it is. The knowledge or lack of a language serves to distinguish a person’s class within the Haitian society. French language drips easily and flawlessly form the lips of the educated and elite Haitians. Whereas their uneducated brethren stumble painfully through a conservation in French. Instead they choose to communicate in the more familiar and comfortable Creole which is not bound by the traditional rules of syntax. Don’t misunderstand, the elite also speak Creole with great ease but the language factor is clearly a distinguishing characteristic. Monolingual Creole speakers, due to their lack of knowledge of French, continue to feel inferior to those who are bilingual.
Some Haitians recognize the importance of Creole. "Yet, while scholars have increasingly come to recognize the importance of pidgin and creole languages, there has been considerable debate, and disagreement, among them as to the precise meaning to be attached to the terms." (14) The debate of Creole lives on. Creole is viewed as a poor and uneducated language. We are then saying that Haiti is then an inferior country due to the fact that all Haitians have some knowledge of Creole. People may already think of Haiti as inferior by it being a third world country but to some raised there and still living there, their language is no more inferior than any other language.
Along with their language, monolingual speakers of Creole are repressed in several ways. They were repressed from getting an education and were made to feel intimidated if they did not know French. This repression was used as a way of keeping the Creole speakers oppressed and confined. Therefore language is used as a form of power: Creole speakers were obviously seen as an unimportant part of the country. "The majority of Haitians are monolingual speakers of Creole and are totally excluded from participation in official matters, for these are carried out in French." (15) If Creole speakers, and here I am referring to people who have Creole as their only language, were to get an education it was to be in French and not their native language. Perhaps some of them, as a form of resistance, did not send their children to school because they didn’t want them to learn French because of the negative label put on Creole speakers. But if this method is used, their child may be uneducated. Haiti’s poor, who for the most part only speak Creole, often have difficulty excelling in school because school’s are conducted in French. Now Creole is used in schools. However, we must ask ourselves is that the answer or will it create further handicap by promoting education in a language that has been identified as an inhibitor to success. Creole, however, is near and dear to every Haitian’s heart. It is an integral part of Haitian culture and heritage. The sound of which in the midst of many other voices and tongues will bring a smile to a Haitians person’s face. Although within the country the language issue is viewed as a divisive force, for Haitians within a foreign place the language can warm the heart because it is an almost unquestionable indication that this is a brother or sister from the country which is near and dear to their hearts. The Creole language in Haiti is a very controversial issue. While some people think that the excessive use of Creole, now in schools is ruining the country, others think that it is beneficial. Personal InterviewsPauline: Personal Information: Pauline was born in November, 1914, in Haiti. Education: She went to school in Haiti for several years and she spoke French in school and Creole at home. Language: The respondent was asked, "Do you think it was beneficial to have Creole installed in schools in Haiti?" To which she replied, "I don’t think it’s beneficial to have Creole in schools because when they are finished with school they won’t be able to do anything with the language whereas if you spoke French, you would have a choice to either stay in Haiti and get a job or relocate to another French speaking country. I don’t see the necessity of it." The respondent was also asked, "Do you consider Creole a language?" To which they replied, "Creole is a Patwa spoken at home and among friends." Summary: Pauline was very stern on her ideas about the Creole language in Haiti. Pauline, along with many other Creole speakers, see Creole as an inferior language.
Although she may have had some good points, as far as being able to further yourself with the French language, she has not taken into account that Creole is a language. In a country which experiences great poverty, people often look for reasons and blame. It appears that she is attributing the "inferior" language as one of the culpable factors in Haitian society. Although she sees Creole as only a slang, she needs to understand that it’s not only that for many people in Haiti. Creole is their life. Creole is their culture. Raymond Personal Information: Jean Raymond was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1935. Education: He attended school in Haiti and spoke French in school. He added, "If a teacher heard you speaking Creole with your friends, you would be disciplined." Language: He thinks it was necessary to have Creole in schools because more children can get an education without having to know French. He further states, "Creole is an important language used by most people in Haiti." Summary: Raymond’s views were not as strong as Pauline’s. He does state that anyone speaking Creole in school would be disciplined. An object resembling a belt or ruler would be used to beat you on your legs or elsewhere. This discipline was a way of reinforcing that the children are not to speak Creole at any time during school hours. The discipline used was not done solely because of the school’s need to be seen as a French speaking school but also because of the parents of the children. These parents send their children to school so they can be taught a language that they, as they said, can advance in and be successful. Limiting oneself to Creole is clearly viewed as a handicap. The difference between Pauline and Raymond can be attributed to the age difference between the two. The stern views and anti-Creole attitude, although still severe, has diminished over the years. Marie Personal Information: Marie Jose was born in Haiti in May 5, 1945. Education: She attended school in Haiti and also taught there for several years in which I taught and spoke French in school. Language: She believes that both languages should be taught and spoken in school side by side. For example, a teacher would tell the child:
She added that education needs to be offered to the lower class in Haiti. French needs to be available to the poor. She ends with the statement, "Creole is more of a street language but a colorful language. Summary: Marie’s answers are neutral in which she feels that both languages are important. She answered that both languages French and Creole should be taught in school. Perhaps this is occurring at the present time. Learning the two languages simultaneously would enable the child to learn both languages equally and perhaps give the child a certain confidence of learning two wonderful languages. In many cases the child comes into school only knowing Creole, and the child must then adjust to the French language spoken in school until he or she picks it up. Rolande Personal Information: Rolande was born in March 1979, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Education: She attended school in Haiti until she was about 12 years old then came to live in the United States. She was taught French in school. Language: She believes it is necessary to have Creole in the schools because as in her case and in many cases Creole is the first language for children. She doesn't feel that children should not be taught a language that is foreign to them, French, when they are already aware of the Creole language. She states that it is confusing to the child and in a lot of cases the child will retain the Creole more so then the French. She doesn't imply that they will forget the French but because Creole is mostly spoken it is easier to retain it. Rolande was asked, "Do you consider Creole as a language?" She replied, "Of course Creole is a language. Creole is my language as well as the language of many people in Haiti. When I tell people that I am Haitian and they ask me if I speak French, I tell them that I speak Creole. Although this is looked at upon as being an inferior language, I am proud to speak Creole and only Creole." Rolande was then asked, "Do you speak any French? She replied, "No I only speak Creole. I do understand a little bit if French is spoken to me but don’t expect me to reply in French because I can’t. Maybe if I practiced speaking French at home I would be able to speak it but my mother only speaks Creole and my father speaks both languages but only speaks Creole at home. I don’t speak French on a regular basis and therefore it is not as familiar to me as Creole." When she was asked, "Would you take any classes in French to perhaps improve what little you do remember?" she replied "No I probably wouldn’t. I’m not too crazy about learning French because when I was in Haiti I was forced and children were beat to speak the language. Now that I am in the United States I have a choice whether I want to learn it and I chose not to. Another question raised to her was, "Would you have preferred to be taught how to read and write in Creole instead of French?" in which she replied, "Yes I would have liked to learn how to read and write in the language I now speak. I would be fluent in Creole with the knowledge of reading and writing it. Being that my first language is Creole, along with many other children, why are we being punished to speak another language in school if we can speak Creole already. It would be easier for the children to learn how to read and write in the language that is already familiar to them." The final question to her was, "Do you think learning French in Haiti was a waste of time?" and she replied, "No, education can never be a waste. It was not a waste because I understand French when it is spoken to me but because I was not continuously speaking the language I forgot it. Usually when you learn something you keep it forever." Summary: Rolande was interviewed because she attended school in Haiti at a more recent time than any other of the people interviewed. Rolande’s first language was Creole and she said that when attending school she had to pick up the French language in school as she similarly had to do when attending school in the United States. There was no teacher there to translate. She attended school in Haiti which taught her how to speak and write French. Creole was the language spoken at home and with friends. After 12 years old, when she migrated to the United States, Rolande then was unable to practice the French language because she was no longer in school in Haiti and being that Creole was the language she was familiar with at home, this then became her only language. Although she is not able to read or write Creole she still believes that this language is a language belonging to her country and belonging to her. Rolande is presenting a sort of resistance towards the language because it was introduced in a fashion that was threatening. "As well as being a social context for exploitation, however, the Caribbean Creole social context is one of African resistance, readaption and perpetuation of African culture in the teeth of an attempt to enforce European culture upon captured Africans." (Dalphinis, 21) Rolande provides an example of why she makes no effort to speak French. She said that people would make fun of someone if they made a mistake in attempt to speak French. Instead of correcting or helping that person with the language they would laugh at the error. They would say that the person attempting to speak French has a mouth "surett". This meant that in effort to pronounce the "s" sounds, they would over pronounce the words. He or she would be laughed at and look like a fool. She stated that this did not happen to her but if it did, it would probably be the reason why she feels the way she does about the French language. ConclusionAll of the respondents held different views on the Creole language in Haiti. The debate between Pauline and Rolande is one that occurs among many individuals and/or groups in Haiti. Pauline was alarmed by the vast use of Creole throughout the country meanwhile Rolande was just the opposite in wanting to promote the use of Haitian Creole. These two views were very strong perhaps due to their difference in age. These interviews were a great help in aiding me become more knowledgeable of the views of the Creole language in Haiti. The debate about Creole still lives on and unfortunately Creole is still seen as inferior. Being that Creole is mostly spoken, it was essential to have this language installed in the schools, public facilities as well as throughout the country. The use of only the French language in schools and in facilities is used as a form of power against those who did not speak the language. The use of French as the only language in schools serves to limit education of the majority of Haitians who are handicapped by their inability to speak French. This has resulted in a significant illiteracy rate. It is important for Haitians to speak French in order to communicate within the larger society. However, in an effort to educate many of the people in Haiti, the Creole language must be incorporated in the school system. Both languages are important in Haitian culture. The interviews provide four distinctive yet somewhat overlapping perspectives on the Creole language and its role and relationship within the country of Haiti and its people. Being of Haitian decent yet having been raised in the United States, my knowledge of Creole and French provides me with an umbilical connection to my cherished homeland and the people there. This is one of the few connections that I have since I have been born in a different land. For many Haitians in the diaspora, knowledge of the language is the predominant link to the Haitian culture. Looking at topics such as definitions, history and the different areas concerning the Creole language, one can obtain a better understanding of Haiti and the controversy concerning the country's language. REFERENCES
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