A national language

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Reply to Msg 2713

Why does the problem of a national language always resurface in Haiti?

We are not the only country on the planet with two official languages, yet we are the only ones who seem so backwards in our ability to come to terms with how to make this duality function for the benefit of all Haitians.

My mother once told me that one time, when she was screaming her head off in a delivery room in Haiti, the nurse's response was to say to another nurse that she was not really ready to give birth because she had not yet started screaming in Creole; at the time my mother did not speak Creole, hence, unlike what the nurse thought, her instinct was not to scream in Creole but in French.

This simple example shows the fundamental social divide that will always undermined the Haitian society unless it is dealt with thoroughly.

It is not that difficult a problem to fix, and it amazes me that some simple solutions have not been implemented.

For example: 1. How hard would it be to have a mandatory course in French for the first five--eight years of school.

I do not mean courses just taught in French, but French immersion classes were the children would learn to speak, but most importantly to practice the language.

That way, although Creole would also be spoken in the country, the next generation of Haitians would all feel comfortable in one internationally useful language, but most importantly the would be comfortable with each other as the stigma of not speaking the "elite class's" language would have been removed.

2. As language is better learned young, starting an national outreach French language conversation campaign might also work. Free classes in each major area in Haiti would cost little, but the results might be tremendous.

3. Those excellent French-speaking Haitians from prior generations have not vanished of the face of the planet.

Offer them the right initiative (the usual: safety, financial security, a chance to practice their skills) and they'll come rushing back to their homeland.

Until the Haitian language problem is fixed, Haitians will never act as one national group.

A country in which the citizens don't see themselves as one unit will always collapse on its self. Good luck with what I feel is Haiti's biggest challenge, and I hope I've been of some help.

Linda, August 6 2007, 2:53 AM

Topic: Une langue nationale

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