Lessons learned

Today I woke up late. Nevertheless, I managed to have a productive day by chatting with the daughter of Alex, Dominique's significant other. First I asked her some questions about the limits of Creole grammar. When we talked, it reminded me very much of some of the lessons I learned in class, especially the following: It takes a while for certain people to get what you're looking for. Rarely, people understand linguists' goals without needing to be coached or reminded repeatedly. This is understandable. Linguists have their own odd little goals in mind, driven by theories of how languages are organized and what sorts of constructions should be impossible. Most people are not linguists, and they want to know the best, most natural way of saying things. My questions aren't about what the best way to say something is, but rather, can you say this at all? For example, in English we can't say 'He speaks very well Spanish', though that is the word order in French. Sentences like that are what interest linguists (or at least those of us who try to document languages). Another lesson is about insecurity: Sometimes people say they don't speak the REAL language, but rather that other people, especially older people, speak the real language. Again, linguists try to describe the language situation as it is, though it's important to note differences among age groups.

We also talked a bit about Haitian Creole speakers, and she told me that Haitians around her age (which as I gather is just a bit younger than me) and possibly even younger than here tend to be the ones who most mix their creole with the local creole. So I might be able to find some interesting people to interview using her connections (and in return I'd help her with her English, which she regrets not using more).