Creole - Haiti Observer Blog

Language is an important aspect in any nation. It is what unites a country and bridges it with the international community. More importantly, language is what makes every citizen understand each other.

That seems not to be the case in Haiti.

Having a language barrier can be a challenge to any country. Haiti faces language difficulties as there are two main languages that are widely used: the Creole and the French. People and linguists have different opinions on both these languages and how they affect Haiti society.

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Like any other languages, Haitian Creole is not something that you can teach or translate easily. It would take a professional to translate such language efficiently. Just because it is derived from the French language does not necessarily mean that a French person can successfully translate it. Keep in mind that Haitian Creole and French have a lot of differences. Though Haitian Creole draws a huge influence from the French language, it also has touches of Native American, West African, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic languages. With this, the only one who can accurately translate it is a professional Haitian Creole translator.

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Every year, an international day of Creole language and culture is held in Haiti. Different activities are conducted for such an event. In the past celebrations, storytelling and film screenings were held, while literary exhibitions and workshops were launched. The international day celebration aims to highlight and further promote Creole as the official language in the Caribbean nation.

The history of Creole Language goes a long way back in 1961, when it was recognized as the official language with the help of Felix Morisseau-Leroy. About 12 million people, including Haitians and immigrants, speak Creole. Some three million people living in other countries such as Cuba, Canada, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Rico also speak Creole.

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Creole is a blend of parent languages, in which its vocabulary was created, and as it developed into an off-shoot of its origins, its grammar came into play. English Creole descends from the French Creole language. Originally, Creole derived from the Latin creare, meaning to create. In time, the word Creole lost its original meaning and developed into the proper noun Creole and the Creole language. Creole is spoken today in the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Australia.

European colonists looked at Creole languages as inferior. But due to major cultural shifts from the end of colonial rule, the last 50 years of the 20th century have certified Creole as an authentic language. Creole is thought to possess an uncomplicated grammar, but this is a criticism of Creole by linguists, who consider it an inferior language.

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In a move that seems shocking and unpredictable, President Barack Obama has nominated Ambassador Pamela Ann White, a career diplomat to replace the current U.S. Ambassador Kenneth H. Merten. To take effect, the nomination has to be approved by the U.S. Senate. This was announced on Monday, January 23, 2012.

"The Real power player"

Pamela Ann White currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Gambia. Prior to that, she worked for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) where she was Mission Director in Liberia, Tanzania, and Mali. From 1999 to 2001, Pamela Ann White served as USAID's Deputy Director for East Africa. She also held a number of overseas positions with USAID, including: Executive Officer in Senegal, Haiti, Egypt and South Africa and Community Liaison Officer in Burkina Faso.

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