Jamaican Creole, Colourism And Discrimination
“Language is the road map
of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going”-
Rita Mae Brown
We are duty bound to educate the current generation as best as possible given our limited resources. The issue of whether patois or Jamaican Creole should be given equal status as Standard English in our education system continues to be discussed in and outside of the halls of academia. Like any good debate there are two intriguing sides, in fact, the arguments presented on either side of the discourse has immense significance which undoubtedly will impact policies surrounding the teaching and learning journey.
The people of the Caribbean speak a number of languages. Creole languages in the Caribbean have developed over the centuries depending on the influence of the original language spoken in a specific geographical area. The extent to which one chooses to switch from Jamaican Creole to Standard English is often dependent on the occasion. For example, most pastors deliver their sermons in Standard English despite having a mixed congregation stratified by income, educational and social class levels. The church for the most part is viewed as a formal domain, where Standard English is the preferred language. Interestingly, we do not hear of anyone or group complaining that sermons should be delivered in Jamaican Creole. It is always fascinating to listen to our politicians regarding how they address their faithful followers. Their choice of language on the campaign trail is the Jamaican Creole nine and a half out of ten times as they try to connect with party supporters. This deliberate use of language speaks volume regarding the value placed on Jamaican Creole by those who are elected to serve the masses. Additionally, we are expected to communicate in Standard English at the workplace and in official settings. The target language in our schools and within the education system is Standard English. While we should appreciate that the first language or “mother tongue” of most of our people is Jamaican Creole we must also realize that the responsibility to guide our students towards the target language is an awesome task which must be carried out assiduously in order to prepare our students for their future. The education system is one in which students are assessed at various intervals throughout the primary and secondary levels in Standard English. The fact is too many of our students begin primary education uncomfortable with Standard English. This difficulty or challenge with the language of instruction often hinders the progress of those students, many of whom get frustrated, resulting in them exhibiting maladaptive behaviours. It is the responsibility of the education system to scaffold and facilitate those students becoming fluent in Standard English as quickly as possible in order for them to successfully navigate the National Standards Curriculum. Educators must be mindful that in order for this to take place there must be consistency as it relates to how the teaching of English is approached. Our socialization process has taught us over the years that the ability to speak fluent Standard English is an indicator of social mobility. As a result all Jamaicans are desirous of having their children speak the language of choice and take pride in the fact that we are bilingual; this duality of languages has served us well over the decades. A colleague of mine Bertram Gayle, who holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in Linguistics, from the University of the West Indies, Mona, opines that because Jamaican English is the first language of the vast majority of our students, equal status should be given. “Instruction in their primary language of communication helps to facilitate the cognitive, comprehension, communication skills which the formal education requires. He argues that equal status for Jamaican Creole or patois will codify the language and facilitate developing educational materials.” He stated that while Jamaican Creole is used primarily in the informal settings the society needs to address the issues of classism, hence, the reluctance to make this move. He concludes that the equal status campaign for Jamaican English is vast both locally and internationally.
Language Acquisition Theories
One cannot speak about language development without making reference to Jim Cummins and his Language Acquisition Theories. Cummins is among those theorists who believe that languages are interconnected to each other. In 1979, Jim Cummins, Professor of Language and Literacy Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education introduced the Language Acquisition Theories. Since then both the Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) have impacted and influenced policy decisions globally regarding classroom instruction. BICS speaks to conversational fluency in a language while CALP refers to students’ ability to understand and express him/herself both orally and in the written form. Cummins introduced the Language Acquisition Theories to raise awareness among educators regarding the challenges that second language learners encounter as they attempt to be on par with their peers in academic pursuits. It bares thought that most of us in Jamaica and the Caribbean speak an English Creole as our first language. As a result, we have to learn a second language. This requires us to go through a process of development which some educators refer to as interlanguage or Creole Continuum. An interlanguage includes some forms of the second language, with a mixture of other structures from the first language. Here lies the problem with classifying the Jamaican Creole and other forms of Creole as a language. Given there is no lexicon for the ‘language ‘and therefore no agreed upon spelling and meaning of words, one must revisit the notion of what is a language. In fact, many of us are able to speak Jamaican Creole but have great difficulty writing and reading the language. This in and of itself is problematic and speaks to the lack of codification in the Jamaican Creole which will no doubt create another layer of problem for our education system.
Professor Hubert Devonish, of the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy of the University of the West Indies, is on record stating that there is a need for protection from discrimination on the grounds of language. I do agree with Professor Devonish regarding discrimination on the basis of language. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states, discrimination is the selection for unfavourable treatment of an individual or individuals on the basis of: gender, race, colour or ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, social class, age, marital status or family responsibilities, or as a result of any conditions or requirements that do not accord with the principles of fairness and natural justice. There are many occasions when predominantly Creole speakers feel uncomfortable in formal and official settings. Even educators are sometimes found guilty of this discrimination. Students entering the education system at the primary and or secondary levels speaking the standard language or a close version of it are viewed in a favourable light, as against their peers who enter the speaking Creole. Additionally, students of a lighter skin tone are also viewed favourably. Yet, we wonder why a significant percentage of our population continues to bleach their skin. The reality of each of us is different and we should not underestimate the realities of any sub-group within the society. Undoubtedly, the society owes a debt of gratitude to folklorist, Louise Bennett Coverly, (Miss Lou) who almost single- handedly with the use of Jamaican Creole in poetry and other creative forms facilitated the language to be accepted not only locally but internationally.
Context and Currency
The general perception in the wider society is that primary speakers of Jamaican Creole are less intelligent than those who converse in Standard English. Certainly, there is a place for Jamaican Creole, however, now is not the time for us to grant equal status to the language in terms of mode of instruction in our schools. We must be realistic and honest to ourselves regarding how we prepare our students for their future. We live in a global context and as such the value placed on the Jamaican Creole does not have that high currency outside of academia and outside of Jamaica. Therefore, we should not create avenues for our students to become misfits in a global arena, instead we should focus on those issues in education which can be addressed in the short to medium term to increase overall students’ outcome. It is the ability to speak Standard English which will provide protection from discrimination. Another colleague who has been a teacher of English for over nineteen years at a prominent high school in Kingston stated that, “you need to consider the internal and external value of the language before embracing equal status. Simply redefining status does not guarantee equality. She gave the example of the issue of gender. “Advocacy for gender equality for centuries has resulted in equity rather than equality.” My colleague does not believe the Jamaican Creole should be given equal status in our education system. “It is not because it is not rich, but it has very little value beyond the region.” She continues, “If it isn’t going to help later with trade, marketing, tourism, then it seems a bit pointless.” Can you imagine the Jamaican Prime Minister turning up at the United Nations and delivering his/her speech entirely using the Jamaican Creole?
As a society we tend to spend far much energy and resources on issues which are not necessary for the progress and overall development of our people. Our preoccupation with the Jamaican Creole having the same status as Standard English is misplaced. Instead educators and linguists should work together in trying to find ways and means of increasing the overall pass rate of our students, specifically, boys who sit the annual Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC). It can be argued that any move towards changing the policy in which the Jamaican Creole will achieve equal footing with Standard English in our education system will create more problems than we are able to address. No one is advocating that we should not speak or promote our language the Jamaican Creole; however, like most things there is a place and time. The Jamaican Creole is ours; there is no need to claim ownership of the language, it is our birthright, and no one, and nothing can take away this away. While bi-literacy is a critical part of empowering us as a people we should not rob the current generation by shifting focus to Jamaican Creole as the language of instruction. Our oral language is what defines us as a people. However, like everything else, relevance and context must be paramount. You would not expect to hear someone who just got robbed say, ‘there goes the robber’, instead you would anticipate hearing, ‘thief, tief, tief! Clearly, this is not the last word on the issue. I am sure more robust discussion on language rights will be taking place on the various social media platforms, in universities, among the Diaspora, educators and Jamaicans from all socio-economic backgrounds.
In the words of Caribbean poet and scholar, Derek Walcott, the English Language is nobody’s special property. It is the property of the imagination: It is the property of the language itself.
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
#language #linguistics #gender #education #Jamaica #discrimination #culture #socialization #religion #InternationalMotherLanguageDay #parliament #society
#communication #lexicon #patois #classism #colourism #skinbleaching #colonialization #history
www.wayaine.blogspot.com
©
We are duty bound to educate the current generation as best as possible given our limited resources. The issue of whether patois or Jamaican Creole should be given equal status as Standard English in our education system continues to be discussed in and outside of the halls of academia. Like any good debate there are two intriguing sides, in fact, the arguments presented on either side of the discourse has immense significance which undoubtedly will impact policies surrounding the teaching and learning journey.
The people of the Caribbean speak a number of languages. Creole languages in the Caribbean have developed over the centuries depending on the influence of the original language spoken in a specific geographical area. The extent to which one chooses to switch from Jamaican Creole to Standard English is often dependent on the occasion. For example, most pastors deliver their sermons in Standard English despite having a mixed congregation stratified by income, educational and social class levels. The church for the most part is viewed as a formal domain, where Standard English is the preferred language. Interestingly, we do not hear of anyone or group complaining that sermons should be delivered in Jamaican Creole. It is always fascinating to listen to our politicians regarding how they address their faithful followers. Their choice of language on the campaign trail is the Jamaican Creole nine and a half out of ten times as they try to connect with party supporters. This deliberate use of language speaks volume regarding the value placed on Jamaican Creole by those who are elected to serve the masses. Additionally, we are expected to communicate in Standard English at the workplace and in official settings. The target language in our schools and within the education system is Standard English. While we should appreciate that the first language or “mother tongue” of most of our people is Jamaican Creole we must also realize that the responsibility to guide our students towards the target language is an awesome task which must be carried out assiduously in order to prepare our students for their future. The education system is one in which students are assessed at various intervals throughout the primary and secondary levels in Standard English. The fact is too many of our students begin primary education uncomfortable with Standard English. This difficulty or challenge with the language of instruction often hinders the progress of those students, many of whom get frustrated, resulting in them exhibiting maladaptive behaviours. It is the responsibility of the education system to scaffold and facilitate those students becoming fluent in Standard English as quickly as possible in order for them to successfully navigate the National Standards Curriculum. Educators must be mindful that in order for this to take place there must be consistency as it relates to how the teaching of English is approached. Our socialization process has taught us over the years that the ability to speak fluent Standard English is an indicator of social mobility. As a result all Jamaicans are desirous of having their children speak the language of choice and take pride in the fact that we are bilingual; this duality of languages has served us well over the decades. A colleague of mine Bertram Gayle, who holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in Linguistics, from the University of the West Indies, Mona, opines that because Jamaican English is the first language of the vast majority of our students, equal status should be given. “Instruction in their primary language of communication helps to facilitate the cognitive, comprehension, communication skills which the formal education requires. He argues that equal status for Jamaican Creole or patois will codify the language and facilitate developing educational materials.” He stated that while Jamaican Creole is used primarily in the informal settings the society needs to address the issues of classism, hence, the reluctance to make this move. He concludes that the equal status campaign for Jamaican English is vast both locally and internationally.
Language Acquisition Theories
One cannot speak about language development without making reference to Jim Cummins and his Language Acquisition Theories. Cummins is among those theorists who believe that languages are interconnected to each other. In 1979, Jim Cummins, Professor of Language and Literacy Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education introduced the Language Acquisition Theories. Since then both the Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) have impacted and influenced policy decisions globally regarding classroom instruction. BICS speaks to conversational fluency in a language while CALP refers to students’ ability to understand and express him/herself both orally and in the written form. Cummins introduced the Language Acquisition Theories to raise awareness among educators regarding the challenges that second language learners encounter as they attempt to be on par with their peers in academic pursuits. It bares thought that most of us in Jamaica and the Caribbean speak an English Creole as our first language. As a result, we have to learn a second language. This requires us to go through a process of development which some educators refer to as interlanguage or Creole Continuum. An interlanguage includes some forms of the second language, with a mixture of other structures from the first language. Here lies the problem with classifying the Jamaican Creole and other forms of Creole as a language. Given there is no lexicon for the ‘language ‘and therefore no agreed upon spelling and meaning of words, one must revisit the notion of what is a language. In fact, many of us are able to speak Jamaican Creole but have great difficulty writing and reading the language. This in and of itself is problematic and speaks to the lack of codification in the Jamaican Creole which will no doubt create another layer of problem for our education system.
Professor Hubert Devonish, of the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy of the University of the West Indies, is on record stating that there is a need for protection from discrimination on the grounds of language. I do agree with Professor Devonish regarding discrimination on the basis of language. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states, discrimination is the selection for unfavourable treatment of an individual or individuals on the basis of: gender, race, colour or ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, social class, age, marital status or family responsibilities, or as a result of any conditions or requirements that do not accord with the principles of fairness and natural justice. There are many occasions when predominantly Creole speakers feel uncomfortable in formal and official settings. Even educators are sometimes found guilty of this discrimination. Students entering the education system at the primary and or secondary levels speaking the standard language or a close version of it are viewed in a favourable light, as against their peers who enter the speaking Creole. Additionally, students of a lighter skin tone are also viewed favourably. Yet, we wonder why a significant percentage of our population continues to bleach their skin. The reality of each of us is different and we should not underestimate the realities of any sub-group within the society. Undoubtedly, the society owes a debt of gratitude to folklorist, Louise Bennett Coverly, (Miss Lou) who almost single- handedly with the use of Jamaican Creole in poetry and other creative forms facilitated the language to be accepted not only locally but internationally.
Context and Currency
The general perception in the wider society is that primary speakers of Jamaican Creole are less intelligent than those who converse in Standard English. Certainly, there is a place for Jamaican Creole, however, now is not the time for us to grant equal status to the language in terms of mode of instruction in our schools. We must be realistic and honest to ourselves regarding how we prepare our students for their future. We live in a global context and as such the value placed on the Jamaican Creole does not have that high currency outside of academia and outside of Jamaica. Therefore, we should not create avenues for our students to become misfits in a global arena, instead we should focus on those issues in education which can be addressed in the short to medium term to increase overall students’ outcome. It is the ability to speak Standard English which will provide protection from discrimination. Another colleague who has been a teacher of English for over nineteen years at a prominent high school in Kingston stated that, “you need to consider the internal and external value of the language before embracing equal status. Simply redefining status does not guarantee equality. She gave the example of the issue of gender. “Advocacy for gender equality for centuries has resulted in equity rather than equality.” My colleague does not believe the Jamaican Creole should be given equal status in our education system. “It is not because it is not rich, but it has very little value beyond the region.” She continues, “If it isn’t going to help later with trade, marketing, tourism, then it seems a bit pointless.” Can you imagine the Jamaican Prime Minister turning up at the United Nations and delivering his/her speech entirely using the Jamaican Creole?
As a society we tend to spend far much energy and resources on issues which are not necessary for the progress and overall development of our people. Our preoccupation with the Jamaican Creole having the same status as Standard English is misplaced. Instead educators and linguists should work together in trying to find ways and means of increasing the overall pass rate of our students, specifically, boys who sit the annual Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC). It can be argued that any move towards changing the policy in which the Jamaican Creole will achieve equal footing with Standard English in our education system will create more problems than we are able to address. No one is advocating that we should not speak or promote our language the Jamaican Creole; however, like most things there is a place and time. The Jamaican Creole is ours; there is no need to claim ownership of the language, it is our birthright, and no one, and nothing can take away this away. While bi-literacy is a critical part of empowering us as a people we should not rob the current generation by shifting focus to Jamaican Creole as the language of instruction. Our oral language is what defines us as a people. However, like everything else, relevance and context must be paramount. You would not expect to hear someone who just got robbed say, ‘there goes the robber’, instead you would anticipate hearing, ‘thief, tief, tief! Clearly, this is not the last word on the issue. I am sure more robust discussion on language rights will be taking place on the various social media platforms, in universities, among the Diaspora, educators and Jamaicans from all socio-economic backgrounds.
In the words of Caribbean poet and scholar, Derek Walcott, the English Language is nobody’s special property. It is the property of the imagination: It is the property of the language itself.
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
#language #linguistics #gender #education #Jamaica #discrimination #culture #socialization #religion #InternationalMotherLanguageDay #parliament #society
#communication #lexicon #patois #classism #colourism #skinbleaching #colonialization #history
www.wayaine.blogspot.com
©
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