If pikni no understand, how dem a go learn?

 

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

 

International Mother Language Day did celebrate all over di world pon Sunday, February 21. Mi never hear gunfire bout dat eena Jamaica. Perhaps a chruu election did deh pon wi. But mi no tink seh a dat stop wi from big up di day.

Some a wi no have no respect fi di Jamaican language. A no nutten! So wa mek wi a go waste time pon dat? A chruu wi no understand. Di first language wi learn inna wi mumma belly, a dat a wi heart language. A it wi talk when trouble tek wi. An when sinting sweet wi.

Fi mark International Mother Language Day, UNESCO put out one report, 'If you don't understand, how can you learn?' Serious ting! Di report seh when pikni go a school, teacher fi teach dem eena language weh di pikni dem understand.

Eena Novemba 2001, fi wi Ministry of Education put out fi dem owna report bout how school fi deal wid language. A nuff tapanaaris write dat deh report. Dem admit seh fi wi mumma language ha fi use eena school. But ongle fi talk. It look like seh fi wi Jamaican language no good enough fi 'waste' money pon a teach pikni fi read an write. Dat a ongle fi English.

Mi no gree wid dat at all at all. Mi tink seh di pikni dem suppose fi learn fi read an write eena dem mumma language, too. A it mek mi get so much cussing every month when mi write disya column eena Jamaican. Some people kyaan read it an dem get bex. Wid mi! A no mi dem fi bex wid. A Ministry of Education.

 

DI FALSE PROPHET DEM

 

Mi did write one column weh come out pon Sunday, January 24, 'Mek Sista P tek her time'. Hear weh mi write seh, "What a way certain people a run down Sista P fi call election! A wa mek? Ascorden to Constitution, election no ha fi call so till way down a April 2017! Di way me see it, since Sista P never call election last year, she might as well tek her time decide her mind."

If Sista P did listen mi, all now she a prime minister. But no! She go listen to di false prophet dem eena her party; an dem odder one weh a do poll; an di next one dem weh seh dem a do 'forecast'. Wid dem four cast eye. Di whole a dem tell Sista P seh PNP a go win election. An seet deh now! PNP sit down careless mek JLP shoob dem out. Later fi dem!

Hear wa smaddy name Shart write pon Gleaner website bout dat deh column. So mi get it, so mi gi it: "Just a word to the Gleaner. Don't know if I should try to write in patois so Prof can understand it better but this not serving the public at all. The fact that a J'can struggles with english and can only speak patois does not mean they can READ patois. Not even those of us who speak english proficiently can manoeuvre this article. Give us a break. Its pointless."

Unu si how Shart facety. A throw word pon mi seh mi nah go understand English to dat. Mi dis laugh. But Shart have a point. Nobody no teach im how fi read an write Jamaican. Ministry of Education let wi down. Mi ongle hope seh di new JLP Govament a go look eena di language situation an fix it up. If disya Govament waan carry Jamaica people outa poverty eena prosperity fi true, dem ha fi tek fi wi mumma language serious eena school. So di pikni dem can understand everything dem a learn. All English!

 

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

 

International Mother Language Day did selibriet aal uova di worl pan Sonde, Febieri 21. Mi neva ier gon faiya bout dat iina Jamieka. Paraps a chruu ilekshan did de pan wi. Bot mi no tingk se a dat stap wi fram big op di die.

Som a wi no av no rispek fi di Jamiekan langgwij. A no notn! So wa mek wi a go wies taim pan dat? A chruu wi no andastan. Di fos langgwij wi laan iina wi muma beli, a dat a wi aat langgwij. A it wi taak wen chrobl tek wi. An wen sinting swiit wi.

Fi maak International Mother Language Day, UNESCO put out wan ripuort, "If you don't understand, how can you learn?" Siiryos ting! Di ripuort se wen pikni go a skuul, tiicha fi tiich dem iina langgwij we di pikni dem andastan.

Iina Novemba 2001, fi wi Ministry of Education put out di dem uona ripuort bout ou skuul fi diil wid langgwj. A nof tapanaaris rait dat de ripuort. Dem admit se fi wi muma langgwij a fi yuuz iina skuul. Bot ongl fi taak. It luk laik se fi wi Jamiekan langgwij no gud inof fi 'wies' moni pan a tiich pikni fi riid an rait. Dat a ongl fi Ingglish.

Mi no grii wid dat at aal at aal. Mi tingk se di pikni dem supuoz fi laan fi riid an rait iina dem muma langgwij tu. A it mek mi get so moch kosn evri mont wen mi rait disya kalam iina Jamiekan. Som piipl kyaan riid it an dem get beks. Wid mi! A no mi dem fi beks wid. A Ministry of Education.

 

DI FAALS PRAFIT DEM

 

Mi did rait wan kalam we kom out pan Sonde, Janieri 24, 'Mek Sista P tek her time'. Ier we mi rait se, "Wat a wie sortn piipl a ron dong Sista P fi kaal ilekshan! A wa mek? Azkaadn tu kanstityuushan, ilekshan no a fi kaal so til wie dong a Iepril. 2017! Di wie mii siit, sins Sista P neva kaal ilekshan laas ier, shi mait az wel tek ar taim disaid ar main."

If Sista P did lisn mi, aal nou shi wuda stil bi Praim Minista. Bot no! Shi go lisn tu di faals prafit dem iina ar paati; an dem ada wan we a du puol; an di neks wan dem we se dem a du 'forecast'. Wid dem fuor kyaas ai. Di uol a dem tel Sista P se PNP a go win ilekshan. An siit de nou! PNP sidong kielis mek JLP shub dem out. Lieta fi dem!

Ier wa smadi niem Shart rait pan Gleaner websait bout dat de kalam. So mi get it, so mi gi it: "Just a word to the Gleaner. Don't know if I should try to write in patois so Prof can understand it better but this not serving the public at all. The fact that a J'can struggles with english and can only speak patois does not mean they can READ patois. Not even those of us who speak english proficiently can manoeuvre this article. Give us a break. Its pointless."

Unu si ou Shart fiesti. A chruo wod pan mi se mi naa go andastan Ingglish tu dat. Mi dis laaf. Mi ongl uop se di nyuu JLP Govament a go luk iina di langgwij situieshan an fiks it op. If disya Govament waan kyari Jamieka piipl outa pavati iina praasperiti fi chruu, dem a fi tek fi wi muma langgwij siiryos iina skuul. So di pikni dem kyan andastan evriting dem a lorn. Aal Ingglish!

- Carolyn Cooper is a cultural consultant. Visit her bilingual blog at http://carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.