Bonjou a ou menm tou zanmi :)
Yes, your Creole professor is correct.
It is recommended, in the new Haitian Creole òtograf, to stay away from using 'ke' when making comparison.
examples:
The table is larger than the desk.
Instead of saying:
Tab la pi gran ke biwo a.
You'd say:
Tap la pi gran pase biwo a.
You are taller than me.
Instead of saying:
Ou pi wo ke mwen.
You'd say:
Ou pi wo pase mwen.
Also, we try to stay away from using ke as relative pronouns: whom, that, what, which
You may use the Creole's 'Ki' if the relative pronoun can be used as a subject.
example:
The house that fell.
Kay ki tonbe a.
The man whose pants are torn.
Nèg ki gen pantalon chire a.
But if the relative pronoun functions as a direct object, it would have called for the Creole 'Ke', but since we cannot use 'Ke', we use nothing at all.
This is what I saw.
Instead of saying:
Se sa ke mwen te wè.
You'd say:
Se sa mwen te wè.
He is someone that I respect.
Instead of saying:
Li se yon moun ke'm respekte.
You'd say:
Li se yon moun mwen respekte.
The students that I choose must come to me.
Instead of saying:
Elèv ke mwen chwazi yo dwe vin jwenn mwen.
You'd say:
Elèv mwen chwazi yo dwe vin jwenn mwen.
You must prove that you live in the neighborhood.
Instead of saying:
Ou dwe prove ke ou abite nan vwazinay la.
You'd say:
Ou dwe pwouve ou abite nan vwazinay la.
But you cannot omit 'ke' from every sentence in Creole. We've been using "ke' in Creole for more than two hundred years.... it's become a habit..., a part of our language.
example:
1. We cannot get rid of ke in Eske
Eske...? (from the French Est-ce-que...?)
2. And the expression... ke ... ke... (as in whether it's this, whether it's that)
Ke l te blan, ke'l te nwa...(Whether it's white, whether it's black...)
3. Haitians will always use 'ke' when they bless you. as in:
Ke Bondye beni'w. (May God bless you)
There are other choices such as "Se pou Bondye Beni'w"
but Ke Bondye beni'w has become an expression.
4. Sometimes you will hear mwens ke or pi piti pase for less than. And it's ok.
Li koute mwens ke 10 dola.
It cost less than 10 bucks.
5. We cannot take 'ke' out of 'a mwens ke (unless)', 'amwenske(unless)', 'pouvi ke (providing that)', tandiske (whereas), tan ke (as long as), etc..
Mwen p'ap kite w ale amwenske ou anbrase'm.
I won't let you go unless you kiss me.
etc...
And lastly, Haitian Creole literature is full of instances where revered authors use 'ke' over and over and over. Sometimes, it is part of the beauty of the language, not to mention it can acceptably be used in proses for songs and poems.
Yes, your Creole professor is correct.
It is recommended, in the new Haitian Creole òtograf, to stay away from using 'ke' when making comparison.
examples:
The table is larger than the desk.
Instead of saying:
Tab la pi gran ke biwo a.
You'd say:
Tap la pi gran pase biwo a.
You are taller than me.
Instead of saying:
Ou pi wo ke mwen.
You'd say:
Ou pi wo pase mwen.
Also, we try to stay away from using ke as relative pronouns: whom, that, what, which
You may use the Creole's 'Ki' if the relative pronoun can be used as a subject.
example:
The house that fell.
Kay ki tonbe a.
The man whose pants are torn.
Nèg ki gen pantalon chire a.
But if the relative pronoun functions as a direct object, it would have called for the Creole 'Ke', but since we cannot use 'Ke', we use nothing at all.
This is what I saw.
Instead of saying:
Se sa ke mwen te wè.
You'd say:
Se sa mwen te wè.
He is someone that I respect.
Instead of saying:
Li se yon moun ke'm respekte.
You'd say:
Li se yon moun mwen respekte.
The students that I choose must come to me.
Instead of saying:
Elèv ke mwen chwazi yo dwe vin jwenn mwen.
You'd say:
Elèv mwen chwazi yo dwe vin jwenn mwen.
You must prove that you live in the neighborhood.
Instead of saying:
Ou dwe prove ke ou abite nan vwazinay la.
You'd say:
Ou dwe pwouve ou abite nan vwazinay la.
But you cannot omit 'ke' from every sentence in Creole. We've been using "ke' in Creole for more than two hundred years.... it's become a habit..., a part of our language.
example:
1. We cannot get rid of ke in Eske
Eske...? (from the French Est-ce-que...?)
2. And the expression... ke ... ke... (as in whether it's this, whether it's that)
Ke l te blan, ke'l te nwa...(Whether it's white, whether it's black...)
3. Haitians will always use 'ke' when they bless you. as in:
Ke Bondye beni'w. (May God bless you)
There are other choices such as "Se pou Bondye Beni'w"
but Ke Bondye beni'w has become an expression.
4. Sometimes you will hear mwens ke or pi piti pase for less than. And it's ok.
Li koute mwens ke 10 dola.
It cost less than 10 bucks.
5. We cannot take 'ke' out of 'a mwens ke (unless)', 'amwenske(unless)', 'pouvi ke (providing that)', tandiske (whereas), tan ke (as long as), etc..
Mwen p'ap kite w ale amwenske ou anbrase'm.
I won't let you go unless you kiss me.
etc...
And lastly, Haitian Creole literature is full of instances where revered authors use 'ke' over and over and over. Sometimes, it is part of the beauty of the language, not to mention it can acceptably be used in proses for songs and poems.
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