The Jamaica Language Unit (JLU) in the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy at UWI, Mona launches a six week Certificate course in Haitian Creole starting on Monday, March 1, 2010. The programme of study in Haitian Creole for Select Interest Groups is designed to assist in the immediate relief efforts in Haiti by bridging the language barrier between the disaster relief experts and the Haitian population. The first cohort of participants in the Haitian Creole course will consist of 36 individuals namely: medical personnel, law enforcement officers, coastguards and engineers.

The course will allow participants basic proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking of Haitian Creole for a work context primarily. The 60 hour course will expose the cohort to vocabulary, syntax, phonology of the language and its spelling and basic written and oral expression as well as similarities and difference between Haitian and the other Caribbean creoles. 

Haitian Creole has since 1987 been recognized in the Haitian constitution as the main language in general use in Haiti.  In addition, it is named as an official language of the country, alongside French.  Haiti Creole is the language of the mass of the population of the country and, without it communication between the assisting groups and the displaced population is severely restricted.

Upon completion of the first course, participants will have an option of pursuing a Level 2 course in Haitian Creole which would allow further immersion in the language and greater competence. At the end of Level Two, participants are expected to demonstrate near native speaker competence in Haitian Creole through written and oral expression. This component is expected to include a practical field experience that will allow participants to translate the experiences of the classroom to “real world” situations.

The JLU has received requests from several professional groups involved in Haiti’s relief effort. The Haitian Creole course offerings is also a tribute in honour of Pierre Vernet; Head of the Centre for Applied Linguistics in Haiti who died in the January 12, 2010 earthquake along with his students. The Centre is the equivalent of the JLU in Haiti, and the offering of the courses at this time is the Unit’s way of showing solidarity and honouring Dr. Pierre Vernet’s memory and the work that he carried out at the Centre to promote Haitian Creole and the rights of its speakers.