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Press Releases
March
Assimilated in the Haitian Language
As the JDF equips itself to better assist with relief and restoration efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti, selected members of the Force have been sent to the classroom to become au fait with one aspect of the Haitian culture, its language. The JDF joined the University of the West Indies’ Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy in this great initiative to address the communication barrier that is usually faced in interacting with the French-Creole speakers.  JDF soldiers in Haiti issuing relief supplies to
persons affected by the January 12 earthquake. One participant Second Lieutenant Brenetta Hunter praised the initiative citing that it will “provide an excellent opportunity to be able to communicate effectively with Haitians not only on missions in Haiti but also those who are living in Jamaica or might be seeking asylum”. “If we did this course prior to our deployment in Haiti, we would have been better able to assist [understand] them,” she continued. The course, which started on 03 March 2010 will run until 04 June 2010. The participants will have sixty-contact hours, where they will cover areas such as vocabulary, syntax, phonology and basic written and oral expression. From the thirty-six vacancies allotted for the course, the JDF accounts for seventeen. The JDF participants include one Officer and sixteen Other Ranks taken from across the Force. Interestingly the soldiers revealed that the Haitian Creole is being translated into our own Jamaican Patois. The two indigenous languages prove to be very similar in terms of the rules that are employed. Haitian Creole is a recognized and official language of the country along with French. In fact, this is the language of the masses. Therefore, having this skill is important if the Force is to succeed and sustain its efforts in Haiti. |