Over the decades, the elitists among us have continued to “scuff” at Creole (Patois) as a language. This is because of its “mediocritic” origin and the social class associated with its usage. In order that finesse is brought to this discourse, a position must be provided on what constitutes a language. In addition, we must be able to comparatively analyze those factors in order to establish whether or not Creole is indeed a language. We need to move this debate beyond social biases in order understand where Creole falls. Despite European “culturalization” of the Africans mindset in the world and moreso those who are scattered in the Caribbean, Westerners’ indoctrination is the hallmark used to adjudge good taste, quality and ‘class’ in the Jamaican experience. As such, many peoples in our society even among the lower class believe that Patois is the corruption of English. Therefore, it is not rightfully a language.
Although personal biases oftentimes are brought into the discourse, if we were to put those issues aside, would we have elevated Creole to the status of a language? Continuing, because Patois is primarily the mother tongue of the lower classes, social stratification is used to determine its non-validity as a language. However, what are the functions of a language, and if we were to apply those same definitions to Patois, would Creole be a language?
Lalla (1998, 11-15) in English for Academic Purposes posits there are five distinct functions of a language and they are as follows: “self expression”, reflection, “complex communication”, conveyance and interpretation of new ideas, characterization and identification of people in their communities. Moreover, language, she forwards is a complex process of different events. Consequently, Language is so dynamic and complex that while lower animals use it in its basic form, man’s usage of it shows its supremacy.
Continuing, language is a composite system of interrelated events in which the sender and receiver uses symbols, signals, expressions, spoken words, complex formulate, and the mode of communication must live long after the present users are gone. Hence, “Is Creole a language?”
Furthermore, language allows us to recall, write and encapsulate feelings of events for future reference. In order, that any spoken words be classified as language, it must fulfill the condition of longevity. Hence, let us answer the following questions within the construct of what constitutes a language:
How long has the Jamaican Creole be in existence?
Does the Jamaican Creole fulfill the following functions of language as English:
Self expression
Reflection
Complex communication
conveyance and interpretation of new ideas
characterization and identification of people in their communities.
Based on the functions of a language, it is difficult to fathom the reasons why Creole is yet to take its rightful place within the language arena. Unless social stratification is indeed more powerful that academic reasoning, Creole from Lalla (1998) writing is a language.
By Paul Andrew Bourne, BSc. (Hons.) Economics and Demography