The official language of Haiti is Haitian Creole, and there are more than twelve million people that speak this language in the world. It is a mixture of native African tongue and French, which is the second most popular language of the country. It is a unique language that is deeply rooted in the art and culture of the people of Haiti and if you wish to learn it, here is how you can start.
Table of Contents
The pronunciation.
This is an important thing to know before you know How to Learn Haitian Creole. Before you learn how to read and write the language, you need to know how the people of Haiti speak their language because it is a mixture of French and African language; it is neither going to be too smooth or too rough but somewhere in between.
Try to hear a few common phrases, how they pronounce every syllable, and the places they enunciate. Try to hear the same phrases repeatedly to get a better grip of the dialect and the accent. It might get difficult if they are talking fast; try to slow it down and feel the accent. Once you understand the pronunciation, you can move ahead with reading and writing.
The Grammar.
Although Creole is mostly a spoken language, people have started to write it using the English script. As a result, it has become a medium for literature and music and has great nuances that a newcomer must focus on when learning the language.
Although you might not have any problem reading the language because it is written using the English language, there will be a huge problem in understanding and translating it. Start with how each alphabet is pronounced, how it is different from your language, and the different grammatical notes.
Make sure to carry your notebook around with you all the time to write down every new thing that you hear or read. Find little hacks and tips for yourself to go around the language and learn it in your own special way.
The Body language.
Not only do you need to understand more about the words and the speech when you know How to Learn Haitian Creole, according with https://creoletutors.com/resources/learn-haitian-creole/, but you also need to consider the body language with which they speak the language. Everything from the movement of their hands, how they throw the words out, and even the whole mood with which they speak everything needs to be considered in trying to find out the true meaning of what they want to say.
The Creole language is very expressive. So are the people of Haiti who use every emotion they have to communicate, so you need to understand the culture to understand the language better. Find out more about their history, what their aspirations are, read about the things that make them happy and sad. Then, dive deeper into the Haitian culture to learn the language the right way.
The Vocabulary.
There are words and phrases in Haitian Creole that might sound exactly like English or French but connect to the literal translation whatsoever. To understand what the other person is trying to say, one needs to truly know the expressions and sayings, and you can’t learn them in any book.
Try to learn new words and phrases every day. Know what the locals call regular things like kitchen items or food ingredients. Try to talk to the fluent people in the language about where certain things get their name and what the roots are.
You can’t build up your vocabulary in a day or a week, but it is a constant process where you learn new words and phrases even years into knowing the language. So, take it slow and go one word or one new phrase at a time and try to include it in your daily speech.
The folklore.
In this 1804Times article, it states the easiest way to learn any language is to study its folklore, and luckily, the people of Haiti have a rich history of folklore. Their culture is very vibrant with art, music, and literature that is still celebrated today, and the more you learn about the myths and legends, you will know better about why they say certain things or why they behave in the way that they do.
Read as many books about their ancient past as you can, know more about their literature, their great writers, and their people, and you would be soon talking in their tongue like any other Haitian.
