12885: a quick online Response From Senou Re: 12877: French vs. Creole/Ayisyen, attitude (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Senou <senou@yahoo.com>


a quick online response, The English language to be
more specific the American English. People from north
have a different accent from those in the South we
call it drawl different pronunciation within the same
country. In Haiti many people have the perception of
being French speaker even those who have never been to
school.
You ask an interesting question and I wish I have the
time to give a scholar answer but I will comeback in
due time.
Let take the Haitian-Creole: people from Cap-Haitian
and Cayes located in the southern part of Haiti
experience the same problem that face Bostonian and
the people of Savannah, Ga.
Haitians do not speak French Haitians speak Creole.
Period. Haitians learn French. The native tongue of
any group is the language that everyone can speak
naturally whether he/she goes to school or not. This
is why we call it mother tongue. I could have brought
Ebonics a language, which is rich in culture into that
discussion but for personal reason and my status as
well as my environment, and my stand I will not
discuss it. Period. Don’t ask me why. I come from too
far and I cannot afford to make any mistake. Each word
is control and balance for maximum effect. And
remember whatever anyone said or wrote cannot be taken
back with a mere apology.

There are no similarities between French and Creole,
the only difference Haitians folks are exposed to the
French language in school, churches, on the street and
so on. Those who grew up in the capital are more
exposed than those in the countryside.

I try to read this memo between the lines, I spot that
the author is trying to raise an issue and try to play
smart at the same time.  (I realize that French plays
a variety of roles in Haiti and that
Speakers of French in Haiti operate in multiple
registers ) This has nothing to do with the original
question: in order to speak French one has to go
school and the more education one has in Haiti or
anywhere else in the world, one tends to live a better
live.
(Also, I think there is something of a language
continuum that runs between French and Ayisyen) No it
does not exist. Let’s tackle language transfer
instead. Usually to learn a foreign language one has
to master his/her native tongue, in Haiti it was not
the case, few folks in my generation could not speak
the proper Creole and we could hardly write it but we
have made an effort to learn it and bring our native
tongue to light.


Please read these articles

 Ebonic Need Not Be English
Ralph W. Fasold, Georgetown University
http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/ebonic-issue.html

Contextual Factors in Second Language Acquisition
Aída Walqui, West Ed, San Francisco, California
http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/0005contextual.html

Joseph Alfred
P.O. BOX 334
Smyrna, GA 30081
Joe_Alfred@yahoo.com


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