#3911: Re: Sodo, Saut d'Eau (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: J. David Lyall <david@lyalls.net>

>From:Racine125@aol.com
>
><< I was surprised to read about the spelling of our famous pilgrimage 
place 
>as 
> Saut d'Eau.>>
>
>I don't see why you would be, it's spelled that way on every map of 
Haiti!  
>And our famous pilgrimage place is also documented in that way on film, 

>photograph, newsprint, etc.
>
><< In my opinion, So doesn't mean "saut" but rather that specific way 
of 
> wrestling which obeys  its own rules .>>

My map of Haiti quite clearly shows

"Saut d'Eau ou Ville Bonheur"

We do seem to be bogged down in over-intellectualization of 
'Kreyol'ness.
I have heard folks in Haiti scornfully saying that the pep la cannot 
even
speak Kreyol correctly. 

Since it is now politically incorrect to demand
that everyone speak french, it appears that demands for some
correctitude in Kreyol may be taking its place.

My Haitian sister tells me quite emphatically that in the Nord
the people speak "Kreyol", while down around PauP they
speak "Kreyol-Fransey". She speaks only kreyol and probably understands
more english than parisian french and reads very little. She is definite
about the difference between Kreyol du nord and Kreyol Fransey tho.

I have heard my kreyol speaking friends say "Saut de oh", maybe the
T was almost silent.