tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709182402663786720.post8876775979238538339..comments2024-03-24T14:23:50.914-04:00Comments on Haitian Creole: Do you have a favorite novel in Creole? If so, do you know where one can purchase it? Mandalyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15267219250311586945noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709182402663786720.post-57639767080552183872012-10-08T13:20:51.136-04:002012-10-08T13:20:51.136-04:00Ah! I did not realize "devan/dèyè" could...Ah! I did not realize "devan/dèyè" could function as nouns as well as prepositions.<br /><br />Thank you!Tiwilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709182402663786720.post-35266970542921821482012-10-08T11:01:49.468-04:002012-10-08T11:01:49.468-04:00Yes, you’re right. It’s a definite article.
That i...Yes, you’re right. It’s a definite article.<br />That is a definite article which goes with the contracted possessive adjective “M”.<br />See links about <a href="%E2%80%9D" rel="nofollow"> POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND THE DEFINITE ARTICLES</a><br /><br />As you know, there are five different definite articles in Haitian Creole (a, an, la, lan, nan), and these articles alternate, NOT ACCORDING TO THE NOUN/WORD THEY MODIFY, but according to the word/letter they IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW.<br /><br />Examples:<br /><b>Chapo John nan</b> - <i>The hat of John</i><br />The definite article ‘nan’ above is affected by JOHN (which it immediately follows) even though it modifies the noun HAT.<br /><br /><b>Mwen te renmen pen ou te achte a</b> - <i>I loved the bread that you bought</i><br />The definite article ‘a’ above is affected by ACHTE (which it immediately follows) even though it modifies the Creole noun PEN.<br /><br /><b>Li te volè liv pwofesè a.</b> - <i>He stole the book of the teacher.</i><br />The definite article ‘a’ above is affected by PWOFESÈ (which it immediately follows) even though it modifies the noun LIV.<br />See links about <a href="%E2%80%9D" rel="nofollow">WHERE DO I PLACE THE DEFINITE ARTICLE</a><br />______________<br />Now, when it comes to the possessive adjectives, the same thing happens. The articles alternate according to the word they immediately follow. <br /><br />When the possessive adjective is accompanied by a definite article, that article will go in accord with the possessive adjectives which it immediately follows, whether it’s a whole word like MWEN, OU, NOU or a contraction like M’, W’, L’, N’.<br />Check out how the following contractions affect the definite articles in the next sentences:<br /><br /><b>papye mwen an</b> - <i>my paper</i><br /><b>papye m nan</b> - <i>my paper</i><br /><br /><b>gode ou a</b> → <i>your cup</i><br /><b>gode w la</b> → <i>your cup</i><br /><br /><b>chapo li a</b> → <i>his hat</i><br /><b>chapo l la</b> → <i>his hat</i><br /><br /><b>Jou nou an rive</b> → <i>Our day has come</i><br /><b>Jou n nan rive</b>→ <i>Our day has come</i><br /><br />So, grammatically, that is what you are looking at in this sentence: <b>S'on ravin ki fann debò ki blayi DEVAN M NAN</b><br /><br />I’ll also write this sentence in a non contracted form so that you may see that the possessive adjective after the word DEVAN was contracted:<br /><br />(Non contracted)<b>Se yon ravin ki fann de(2) bò ki blayi DEVAN MWEN AN</b><br />(Contracted) <b>S'on ravin ki fann debò ki blayi DEVAN M NAN</b><br />(Literally)<i>It’s a ravine that is split both sides that is spread at MY FRONT</i><br />(Translation)<i>A ravine split in two is spread out IN FRONT OF ME</i><br />(A better translation:) <i>The road before me runs through a ravine</i><br /><br /><br />FYI , Creole speakers do the same thing when they say BEHIND ME.<br />You will hear them say:<br /><b>Genyen yon chèz DÈYÈ M NAN</b><br /><i>There’s a chair at MY BACK</i><br /><i>There’s a chair BEHIND ME</i><br />Mandalyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15267219250311586945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709182402663786720.post-26177934175095915982012-10-08T07:55:54.115-04:002012-10-08T07:55:54.115-04:00:) Now I have a grammar question about that quote:...:) Now I have a grammar question about that quote:<br /><br />"S'on ravin ki fann debò ki blayi devan m nan"<br /><br />What is the final "nan" doing in this sentence? I presume it is the definite article, but I do not know what word it is referring back to. Thanks!Tiwilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709182402663786720.post-10796857197493781202012-10-07T09:05:24.072-04:002012-10-07T09:05:24.072-04:00Thanks for sharing.
This is just beautiful writing...Thanks for sharing.<br />This is just beautiful writing!<br />If you love <i>Kote Lamèsi</i>. you'll also love <i>Nan Savann Dezole</i>.<br /><br />Some of the <i>Koleksyon Souf Nouvo</i> books are on googlebooks and the Haitian Book Centre. Florida International University and the University of Florida libraries may have some Haitian Creole novels.<br />If you're ever in the Miami, Florida or Brooklyn, New York, do visit the Libreri Mapou there so that you may browse their Haitian Creole book collection.<br />I'll keep my eyes open for more info....<br />Thanks.<br />Mandalyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15267219250311586945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709182402663786720.post-65616749449663457042012-10-07T07:36:49.596-04:002012-10-07T07:36:49.596-04:00Thank you. I have already read "Lafanmi Bonpl...Thank you. I have already read "Lafanmi Bonplezi" and "Chita pa Bay" (I was once a student of Bryant Freeman's at the University of Kansas). <br /><br />I have been working my way through Koleksyon Souf Nouvo, a collection of 100 page-ish Creole novels printed in 2008. I was only able to get them in Haiti at La Pleiade bookstore in Petionville. So far I have read "Epi yon jou konsa tèt Pastè Bab pati," and I am working on "Zig Lavi" and "Rete! Kote Lamèsi?" <br /><br />I highly highly recommend them. I am reading them as a student, so I do not get everything, but they are a good demonstration of the expressive power and legitimacy of Creole as a medium for literature and art.<br /><br />("Kote Lamèsi," Josaphat-Robert Large, pg 11)<br /><br />"Mezanmi, kote nou prale? Nou pa gen chimen devan nou. Pa gen santye nonplis. S'on ravin ki fann debò ki blayi devan m nan. Kote nou prale? Pandanstan, linivè limenm, l'ap vanse. Nan miwa tan modèn, nan televisyon lavni, mwen wè tout pèp ap make lepa pou vanse, al nan randevou ak pwogrè. Mwen wè timoun lòt bò dlo ak linèt envansyon yo, y'ap kalkile ki distans ki separe lavi ak lavni. Mwenmenm menm, mwen la a, ak bourik chaje ak bannann mi, ak yon bann betiz nan lespri m. La a, mwen s'on madigra ki pap janm chanje inifòm."Tiwilnoreply@blogger.com