Creole Exceptionalism and the (Mis)Education of the Creole Speaker (DeGraff, 2009)

Chapter 7: Creole Exceptionalism and the (Mis)Education of the Creole Speaker

Introduction

• Discusses the importance of incorporating Haitian Creole into education for Creole-speaking children.

• Highlights negative sentiments expressed in the Miami Herald regarding the legitimacy of Creole as a language.

  • Comments indicate a view that Creole is illegitimate, a corrupted form of French, or not worthy of public funds for education.

  • Attitudes reflect deeper issues of race and class.

Creole Exceptionalism

• Definition: Creole Exceptionalism refers to beliefs that Creole languages are fundamentally different from other languages, often viewed as inferior.

  • These beliefs have historical roots and have been perpetuated by linguists.

• Historical Context: The chapter traces the origins of these beliefs back to the 19th century, examining how they have maintained power dynamics over time.

• Claims of Legitimacy: Argues for the recognition of Creoles as legitimate languages, supporting the need for their use in educational settings.

The Importance of Recognizing Creole Languages

• Lack of understanding regarding Creole languages results in significant social costs for their speakers.

• Treating Creole as a valuable educational resource can improve the educational experiences of Creole-speaking students.

Definitions and Historical Facts

• Creole Languages: Typically developed from contact between speakers of different languages, particularly in colonial contexts.

• Developmental Context: Emerged during European colonization (15th – 19th centuries), particularly in the Caribbean among African slaves and European colonizers.

  • Approximately 20 million speakers worldwide, predominantly in the Greater Caribbean and parts of the USA and Africa.

  • Roots of Creole languages are deeply intertwined with historical globalization due to the slave trade.

• Haitian Creole: A key focus, it developed from the contact between French and various Niger-Congo languages among enslaved Africans on Caribbean plantations.

  • Officially recognized as Haiti's national language since 1987, yet faced educational discrimination as official documents are primarily in French.

Linguistic Power Dynamics

• The official use of French creates systemic barriers for monolingual Creole speakers, effectively leading to linguistic apartheid.

• Linguistic communities shaped by Creole languages remain disenfranchised due to the continued dominance of French.

Exceptionalism in Linguistics

• Linguists view Creoles as unique, leading to the notion that they are not 'normal' languages.

  • Creoles are often described as simplified or degenerated varieties of European languages.

  • Historical perspectives have led to views that Creole structures lack complexity and creativity, reinforcing negative stereotypes.

Theories of Creole Genesis

1. Degeneration View: Creoles are seen as 'broken' varieties of European languages.

   • Claims from historical linguistics describe Creoles as deprived of grammar and vocabulary.

2. Hybrid Theory: Creoles are considered hybrid languages, with an African grammar shaped by European vocabulary

   • Criticized for invoking racial stereotypes of cognitive abilities.

3. Catastrophic Break View: Argues that the normal transmission of language is disrupted, giving rise to pidgins which then evolve into Creoles.

   • Challenges the assumption that Creoles are fundamentally different linguistically from other languages.

Countering Exceptionalism

• Empirical data suggests that Creoles, including Haitian Creole, follow normal language development processes.

• Comparative analysis shows that English exhibits similar patterns of evolution and change as seen in Haitian Creole.

Toward a Universal Understanding of Creoles

• Proposes a Cartesian-uniformitarian approach, stressing the inherent equality in language creation processes across cultures.

• Bourdieu's Insight: Advocacy for recognizing the power dynamics in language ideologies to empower Creole speakers.

Implications for Education

• Advocates for using Creole languages in schools to reduce stigmatization.

• Emphasizes the pedagogical benefits of teaching in the mother tongue, aligning with UNESCO principles.

• Suggests that Creole speakers should be seen as capable and intelligent, contrary to prevalent beliefs.

Conclusion

• Encourages the reassessment of how Creole languages are viewed and used within educational contexts.

• Calls for linguists and educators to join efforts in advocating for the rights and recognition of Creole languages, linking theory to practice in an equitable manner.