The New York Times documented a phenomenon in Haiti that occurs throughout the world – the simultaneous existence and use of a “formal” language and an actual living everyday language that diverges significantly from its ancestor.
Students in Haiti are taught most subjects in French, a language little understood by most primary grade Haitian children. As Times reporter Michel DeGraf relates, despite the fact that Haitian children typically do not speak the official French they are taught, “if [their] memorized lesson is not recited with perfect pronunciation and grammar, [they] may be ridiculed or punished.”
In an experimental school on La Gonâve island, students are taught in Haitian Creole and, according to DeGraf, “when the teacher announces the end of class, they ask, ‘may we come back later for more?’”
THE WILL TO LEARN
The contrast illustrated in the case of Haitian education is evident in countries around the world where the languages of colonial powers displaced native tongues. Those languages, including French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and German, remain the official languages of government in many countries where the actual day-to-day language is at best a descendant of the parent language, and often a dialect not related at all to the official language. What is at work in such situations is the long observed force of self-determination – people speak the language they prefer and in doing so identify themselves independently of conventions forced upon them by outsiders.
The predominance of Haitian Creole as a lingua franca, especially among the young, is a testament to the power of a common language to unite a people in common cause, to help them identify one another as members of their own circle, and to distinguish their community and its members from outsiders. Formal French in Haiti is a sign of pretense or the exercise of official power. In the streets of Port au Prince, it is almost never heard.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE COMMUNITY
Whether in the Caribbean, Africa, South America, or Oceania, speaking the language of the community is a distinct advantage, and in those settings, that means speaking something very different from the country’s official language. “Localization,” or the act of tailoring your message to the chosen language of the target market, is one of the most sought after services in the language service industry. To those who understand the principle of “can’t read, won’t buy,” accurate language translation means putting your message in the terms most approachable and acceptable to the target audience. Even if a Haitian consumer can read Parisian French, he or she is much more likely to respond favorably to materials written in Creole.
Accurate language translation is only possible if you know into which language you are translating. Your high school French teacher is probably not the right person to translate your materials for a Haitian audience, unless she is Haitian. At the very least, you need someone who is an expert in the complexities and special nuances of Haitian Creole as it is really used, every day, by more than 10 million people. Many of those people can read French, but they would rather not.
If your company works with diverse language communities, talk with your translation service provider and make sure you are approaching your audience in the language of their choosing. They might understand you in formal language, but you’ll reach them much more favorably in their own language.
