24.908 | Spring 2017 | Undergraduate

Creole Languages and Caribbean Identities

Course Description

Caribbean Creole languages result from language contact via colonization and the slave trade. In this course we explore the history of Creole languages from cognitive, historical and comparative perspectives. We evaluate popular theories about "Creole genesis" and the role of language acquisition. Then we explore the …
Caribbean Creole languages result from language contact via colonization and the slave trade. In this course we explore the history of Creole languages from cognitive, historical and comparative perspectives. We evaluate popular theories about “Creole genesis” and the role of language acquisition. Then we explore the non-linguistic aspects of Creole formation, using sources from literature, religion and music. We also look into issues of Caribbean identities as we examine Creole speakers’ and others’ beliefs and attitudes toward their cultures. We also make comparisons with relevant aspects of African-American culture in the U.S.
Learning Resource Types
Lecture Videos
Written Assignments
Presentation Assignments with Examples
Instructor Insights
Chalkboard at a school in Haiti with lessons written on it
At this school in the outskirts of Port au Prince, Haiti, chemistry lessons are taught in French rather than the Haitian Creole most familiar to its students. (Photo courtesy of Curt Newton, used with permission).