Haitian Creole

-Mandaly said...
Not anymore. It was declared illegal.

-Anonymous said...

Are you kidding me? Go observe a school in Haiti for more than 10 minutes, and you'll likely see the whip.

-Mandaly said...
Yes, you're right.
This law is not enforced in Haiti.
I have heard reports of teachers who continue to use corporal punishment in schools.
If they don't use the whip, they'll use the ruler... the long ruler that construction workers use.

I remember I had a teacher in elementary shool (Mme Pierre), she walked around class with her long ruler. God forbid! a student should sneeze the wrong way, she'll have the student put his hand on the desk and whamo! on your knuckles.

Yet, the teachers with the whips will have the students come in front of the class, pull their pants down and whamo! whip! whip! on their poor buttocks.

What's the deal with pulling your pants down anyway? Don't they know that it would hurt whether you pull your pants down or not?

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In the Ann Pale Yon Ti Kreyol book I found these phrases: Mete ou ajenou! Poukisa? Paske m di sa! Kisa m te fe? Please explain...I think it's a child being corrected but I don't know why they say to get on your knees. Is that some form of punishment?

Yes! A form of popular punishment in Haiti is that parents have their children kneel on the floor just like American parents put their children to the corner.

Haitians parents will have their kids kneel on the floor for a set amount of time.

"Mete ou ajenou!" is the first thing a parents will say when a child misbehaves, then will come the whip.

Unfortunately, the majority of Haitians parents use some type of corporal punishment to discipline their children (in Haiti). It is also a shame that when you go to the markets in Haiti, you will find merchants selling "rigwaz" or "matinèt" for disciplining kids.

I hope one day this sort of punishment (in the home) will be declared improper or unlawful, and that Haiti will have a better way to oversee the safety of children in the home and protect them from harm.

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So sorry to bring up bad memories :( My question is not because I need to correct my child. I was just curious how Haitian father's discipline their children. Maybe explain what a dad would say to his child to correct them...strict and soft.

***Thanks. I understood your question pretty well. Because of the cultural differences in the way some kids are disciplined in Haiti. It might be best to substitute some of the Creole expressions with your own words.

Mwen renmen ou, men mwen pa kontan sa ou fè a.
I love you, but I'm not happy with the way you acted.

Ou nan pinisyon*.

You are grounded.

Map mete ou nan pinisyon*.

I am grounding you.

Mwen ta renmen ou konpòte ou byen.

I would like for you to behave well.

*Note: You may have to explain the concept of "being grounded" to a child that was raised in Haiti. Some children might expect a "whipping" when you say the creole word "pinisyon" .

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What are some Creole phrases a strict but loving father would say to his children to correct disobedience.

Oh my! This is bringing me really bad memories of my father. He was the strictest of them all :(

My father never talked. He only used his specially bought rigwaz (rawhide whip). As a pastor he exercised his rights to ex-communiate me and my siblings from his church. He used the harshest punishments...

So... the "strict loving phrases" that you want would depend on what the violation was...

Generally, I'll say to my kids:

Mwen renmen ou, men mwen pa kontan sa ou fè a.

I love you, but I'm not happy with the way you acted.

Ou nan pinisyon.

You are grounded.

Mwen ta renmen ou konpòte ou byen.

I would like for you to behave well.

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taking time off (creole)

Time off (as in "not on duty")

konje

Taking time off

pran konje

I need to take some time off.

Mwen bezwen pran yon ti konje.

I am off (I'm not working today)

Mwen nan konje.

Today is my day off.

Jodi a se jou konje mwen.

I'm on vacation.

Mwen nan vakans.

'that's it'

1.
Se sa.
That's it.

2.
Se pa sa.
That's not it.
It's not that.

3.
Se sa li ye.
That's what it is.
That's it.

4.
Se pa sa li ye.
That's not it.
That's not what it is.

5.
Se li.
Se li menm.
That's it.
That's him.
That's her.

6.
Se pa li.
Se pa li menm.
That's not it.
That's not him
That's not her.

6.
Se tout.
That's all.

7.
Se pa tout.
That's not all.

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