I was thrilled when I got recommended for and then given a Peace Corps placement in “French-speaking West Africa” (can you tell where this is going?). Finally, years of slaving over French grammar and pushing through choppy, frustrating conversations had gotten me to the point where I love conversing in French, picking up new phrases, and practicing what I’ve at long last gotten a grasp on. My weeks in training this fall confirmed how much fun it is to greet school children in sing-songy French, and how much more intriguing even mundane conversations are when you’re practicing your new skills. I feel friendlier in French too – it’s sort of like it’s all a fun game, you are not really yourself, just playing along in a shinier, light-hearted universe where everything is stimulating and a bit more chic because, voila, it’s French!
And then, life decided to play a little joke on me, and though I was one of the few volunteers who came in with decent French under my belt, I got paired to work with an NGO in the small Anglophone region of Cameroon (crash history course, both England and France colonized here, though it’s dominated now by the French influence at every level). After a complete breakdown (I wish I was kidding) that I was not going to get to speak French after all, (and, while I was at it: why am I here? why this random town in this random country?? for two years???? why did you have to send ME to the Anglophone region when I told you at every point how much I was looking forward to working in French and becoming fluent!) Well, they tell you when you join the Peace Corps that it’s all about flexibility – coming back from my disappointment at being one of the few going to this marginalized Anglophone region was the biggest personal challenge I’ve faced here so far, and it’s one I keep working at every day.
So, life must be a breeze then, without the language barrier that is an infamous part of cross-cultural relations? Ha. HA. Enter: Pidgin. Instead of the English you and I are used to, they speak this mix of English, French, German and Portuguese vocab – most words are English, but it’s still a whole different ball game. Pidgin is thought to have originated when coastal Cameroonians from dozens of different tribes were brought together on the slave plantations of colonizing Europeans. Without a communal language, they listened to the Europeans and picked up some of their words, giving it their own flavor and keeping it simple and practical so that it could be easily learned and adapted in this impromptu situation of necessity. The dialect stuck, though today it is looked down on by many as a “rotten” uneducated English that is a broken, lowly version of a sophisticated language. Some groups in Cameroon are trying to get it abolished, and at schools and universities you see signs such as “Pidgin is like AIDS, avoid it!” and” English, your passport to the world; Pidgin, a ticket to nowhere” To most it remains an important part of their culture, though their love/hate relationship with it is apparent – I’m often told I should not spend time learning this “incorrect” English speak, and yet it’s what they are speaking every day, so if I want to communicate, especially with older adults who did not go to school, Pidgin is my key.
Educated adults and students also speak what they call “Grammar”, which is closer to our English and what I end up speaking most for now, but there is still a gaping disconnect. I’m actually relieved whenever someone can speak French – my French is far from polished, but for simple conversations it’s ironically so much easier to get by in French than in Pidgin/English. I emphasize every word and use phrases such as “you people” instead of “you” and “your own, his own” instead of “yours, his”, yet still I normally have to repeat myself twice even just for something like “do you have powdered milk?” It’s exhausting, bizarre, and yet a new layer in my ongoing fascination with the evolution of language. The joke in this region is that instead of learning a new language, volunteers here must un-learn every correct grammar rule of their own language and patch things back together to get by. Seeing this language as it’s own and not judging it as a crude, incorrect version of English takes a bit of time, but it’s fun to get into it, and just think of the awesome phrases I’ll be able to whip out at cocktail parties! I’ve even started speaking what I call Pinglais, a combination of all three…
ex. (I don’t find it) + (I no find y) + (Je ne le trouve pas) = I no le find pas.
…Now I’m really in trouble.
Below, the first bit of the speech I gave in Pidgin at our swearing - in ceremony, a few phrases that give you a taste, and an interesting quick read on the politics of Pidgin in Cameroon: http://www.dibussi.com/files/politics_of_pidgin_in_cameroon.pdf
Excerpt:
A dis salaute wuna!
Dis be BIG day for we, for sika say, today we be big volunteer-dem for Peace Corps! We don work plenty for dis day for plenty week-dem, an we don dream for dis day for many year-dem. An we go eva memba dis day, no?.... Nasso, we Peace Corps life like volunteer-dem don start today! We be people for Amerika, an we be glad an proud for shidon for Cameroon – so we di tank all people-dem wey dem don helep we for reach for dis level today. Wuna ashia!!
Ha for skin? How are you?
Skin dey fine. Ma name na Tess. Weti be ya name? I’m doing well. My name is Tess, what is your name?
A be skul pikin for Peace Corps. We go be volunteer-dem for small time. I’m a student for Peace Corps. Soon we’ll be volunteers.
A be woman for Amerika. A komot for Maine. I’m American. I come from Maine.
Waka fine, we see small time. Have a good day, see you soon.
A be glad for sabe you. Cam good for Cameroon. Nice to meet you. Welcome to Cameroon.
Wha kin chop you chop? What kind of food do you like?
A be chop plenty puff puff-dem. I ate lots of begnets.
For market for Amerika dey no di nack price. At American markets you can’t haggle prices.
A de len for like njama njama. I’ll learn to like vegetables.
A tell you say. Yeah, I’ll say.
Poto poto road. Muddy road.
Chuck pipol-dem inside moto like sadin. Shove people in the car like sardines.
Han bilong for tree. Branch.
Mami wey I get big belly. Pregnant woman.
Chop chair. Successor.
David na big man for training. David is the head of training.
Woman hand side. Left. (I take issue with this one!)
You be correct man. You’re a good guy.
Weti a fit do if tiff man broke ma house? What can I do if a robber breaks in to my house?
Woman pikin-dem di wash pan an klos-dem. The female kids help wash pans and clothes.
Wash nite. Guard.
No comments:
Post a Comment