Carolyn Cooper | Holness fi gi virus warning inna two language

Carolyn Cooper

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

A ongle when politician a look vote dem know how fi chat fi wi Jamaican language. Eena dis ya virus attaclaps, di Prime Minister an all a di odder govament minister dem supposen fi a gi out warning eena two language: English an Jamaican. Di politician dem love form fool like seh everybody eena Jamaica understand English. Nutten no go so.

Holness shoulda tek lesson from Chief Justice Bryan Sykes. Last month, Sykes gi speech a one big meeting bout how fi use technology eena fi wi justice system. Some a wi done know seh a one injustice system ya so. Di official language weh fi use eena courthouse a English. Nuff smaddy go a court an dem no ketch nutten weh di judge an di lawyer dem a seh.

Mi go a court an mi see wa a gwaan. One time, one man come a court fi defend himself gainst smaddy weh sue im. An never show up. Di judge throw out di case. Di poor man sit down deh, nuh understand wa a gwaan. After bout a hour, mi so beks, mi get up an aks di judge weh mek shi no tell di man seh im can go weh. Shi seh, shi throw out di case an if im waan sit down deh, a fi im business. Shi neva taak so ‘low-class’. Shi too stush fi dat. Mi change over weh shi seh to fi wi language. An mi turn round tell di man seh im get weh. Im fly outa courthouse same time.

NO JUSTICE NO DEH

A dat deh breed a judge mek Chief Justice Sykes know seh fi wi justice system ha fi use technology fi mek sure seh everybody eena court understand wa a gwaan. Im seh wi want wan computer software weh can change over Jamaican to English an vice-versa. English borrow ‘vice-versa’ from Latin an Jamaican a borrow it from English. No justice no deh if yu go a court an yu no get no chance fi difen yuself eena fi yu owna language. An yu no know wat o’clock a strike wen lawyer an judge a chat.

Last month, one physics lecturer a University of the West Indies, Dr Andre Coy, aks mi if mi coulda gi im mi column dem weh write eena Jamaican. Im a one specialist eena language technology. An im a develop one ‘sound system’ fi change over Jamaican to English. It sweet mi so til. Di whole a dem bad-mind people weh love cuss mi seh mi a waste Gleaner space a write eena Jamaican, mek dem gweh! Mi column a high science.

It a go tek a good lickle time fi develop di software weh Chief Justice Sykes a talk bout. Meantime, Govament shoulda put language specialist eena court weh can go back an forth eena fi wi two language an mek sure seh everybody know wa a gwaan. An Prime Minister Holness shoulda must-an-bound all govament office fi do fi dem an fi wi business eena English an Jamaican. Equal language rights an justice!

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

A ongl wen palitishan a luk vuot dem nuo ou fi chat fi wi Jamiekan langwij. Iina dis ya vairos ataklaps, di Praim Minista an aal a di ada govament minista dem sopuoza fi a gi out waanin iina tuu langgwij: Ingglish an Jamiekan. Di palitishan dem lov faam fuul laik se evribadi iina Jamieka andastan Ingglish. Notn no go so.

Holness shuda tek lesn fram Chief Justice Bryan Sykes. Laas mont, Sykes gi spiich a wan big miitn bout ou fi yuuz teknalaji iina fi wi jostis sistim. Som a wi don nuo se a wan injostis sistim ya so. Di ofishal langgwij we fi yuuz iina kuortous a Ingglish. Nof smadi go a kuort an dem no kech notn we di joj an di laaya dem a se.

Mi go a kuort an mi si wa a gwaan. Wan taim, wan man kom fi difen imself gens smadi we suu im. An neva shuo op. Di joj chruo out di kies. Di puor man sidong de, no andastan wa a gwaan. Aafta bout a ouwa, mi so beks, mi get op an aks di joj we mek shi no tel di man se im kyan gu we. Shi se, shi chruo out di kies an if im waahn sidong de, a fi im biziniz. Shi neva taak so ‘luo-klaas’. Shi tuu tush fi dat. Mi chienj uova we shi se tu fi wi langgwij. An mi ton roun tel di man se im get we. Im flai outa kuortous siem taim.

NO JOSTIS NO DE

A dat de briid a joj mek Chief Justice Sykes nuo se fi wi jostis sistim a fi yuuz teknalaji fi mek shuor se evribadi iina kuort andastan wa a gwaan. Im se wi waahn wan kompyuuta saafwier we kyan chienj uova Jamiekan tu Ingglish an vaisi-vorsa. Ingglish bara ‘vice-versa’ fram Latin an Jamiekan a bara it fram Ingglish. No jostis no de if yu go a kuort an yu no get no chaans fi difen yuself iina fi yu uona langgwij. An yu no nuo wat a klak a straik wen laiya an joj a chat.

Laas mont, wan fiziks lekchara a University of the West Indies, Dr Andre Coy, aks mi if mi kuda gi im mi kalam dem we mi rait iina Jamiekan. Im a wan speshalis iina langgwij teknaliji. An im a divelop wan ‘soun sistim’ fi chienj uova Jamiekan tu Ingglish. It swiit mi so til. Di uol a dem bad-main piipl we lov kos mi se mi a wies Gleaner spies a rait iina Jamiekan, mek dem gwe! Mi kalam dem a ai saiyans.

It a go tek a gud likl taim fi divelop di saafwier we Chief Justice Sykes a taak bout. Miintaim, Govament shuda put langgwij speshalis iina kuort we kyan go bak an fuort iina fi wi tuu langgwij an mek shuor se evribadi nuo wa a gwaan. An Praim Minista Holness shuda mos-an-boun aal govament afis fi du fi dem an fi wi bizniz iina Ingglish an Jamiekan. Iikwal langgwij raits an jostis!

Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com