Iconic Jamaican folklorist, Miss Lou helped put Patois on the literary landscape. - File
Nothing but a 'Joke Bible'?
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I have been reading and listening to the comments on the new Patois Bible, and I must say that there are some very valid points for it, while there are also some valid points against it. At first, I thought I was 100 per cent for it, but now that I've thought about it some more, I realise that there are more negatives than positives.
A Patois Bible would seem to me to be a 'Joke Bible'. If after translating the Bible into Patois, there is more laughter than seriousness, then what is the purpose of writing it?
A mockery
I imagined a Sunday or Saturday morning where there is pure laughter, while the Word of God is being read! The pastor and congregation would go home feeling belly pains from laughter, with nothing spiritual gained. This is not only disrespectful to God, but also a mockery of God.
I am, etc.,
Christine Ade-Gold
osogodly@gmail.com
Establish Patois dictionary first
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Instead of spending millions of dollars to convert the Bible into Patois, that money should be spent on helping a few Jamaicans to study English. It would appear that the person who came up with this idea does not want Jamaicans to be part of the wider world.
Not elitism
This has nothing to do with elitism. Yes, here in England we have adverts on national television using reggae and sometimes a little Patois, but when it comes to interviewing some Jamaicans on television, there are always sub-titles because nobody but Jamaicans can understand.
I speak Patois sometimes but I find it very difficult to read. Before translating the Bible, the Bible Society of the West Indies should be thinking of creating a Patois dictionary.
I am, etc.,
A.M. Hibbert
Audrey.Hibbert@
headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
Build schools with the money
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I believe the money to be spent on translating the Bible into Patois could be better utilised in building more schools or paying teachers or improving the education system.
While I love our native dialect, I think it is disrespectful to want to translate the Bible into Patois. I will go for any other book but NOT DI BIBLE!
I am, etc.,
Valerie Hoo
VHoo@globeins.com
Comprehension very difficult
THE EDITOR, Sir:
While this venture might seem to some as a good idea, there are several concerns that need to be considered.
Jamaican Patois is in many cases, though easy to speak, very challenging to understand when placed on paper. I have noticed over the years that in some cases there is not even a fixed spelling for some words.
Additionally if some of our fellow Jamaicans cannot read English, why do we think that it will be any easier to read Patois?
I am, etc.,
K. Harvey
kmrh_99@yahoo.com
Texas
Put the focus on learning English
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Patois plays an extremely important part in our culture and, by extension, Product Jamaica. However, this should not be extended to other parts of Jamaican life.
Miss Lou had an excellent command of the English language, both written and oral. However, the Patois Bible, which would be in general publication, will not be one of those books we sell to tourists to help them understand Creole.
Wrong time
This Bible would be given to a society that is in an educational crisis, to a people who in recent years have ranked at the bottom of the class as far as exam passes in the region.
This is lowering the bar for our people, telling them they need not learn we will bring things down to their level. What we need to do is to raise our education levels. Let us strive to be like Miss Lou, English speakers by education, but 'yaad' men and women by birth.
I am, etc.,
Rees Hines
rees_jm@yahoo.com
Evidence of cultural self-hate
THE EDITOR, Sir:
So we have respite of a few days from the babble about the marauding gunmen; time to get back to the great Patois/Patwa debate, sparked this time by an effort to translate the Bible into the Jamaican lingua franca, and to parade our ignorance.
One would think that the debate would centre on whether people are literate in either standard English or 'Patwa' in deciding whether to go to press with one or the other version. That is, if the purpose is to make the religious message available in the language of the people.
We could argue against the venture if it were proposed as a language teaching aid and we were against people learning to be literate in Patwa.
Insulting ourselves
Instead, we are insulting ourselves and all our ancestors, African and European, who contributed to the creation of our native tongue by declaring that a Bible in that language would result in the message being less than sacred.
What a hatred of self, a mental conditioning that ironically fits right in with the thought pattern of the KKK folk who believe the presidency of the United States would be defiled should Barack Obama accede to the office. Following this line of reasoning, we can imagine how unholy the Bible is in its Chinese translation.
Here concludeth my contribution in thy holy English tongue. Even holier, I will bid you farewell in Latin: Valet, valere!
I am, etc.,
Mark Lee
Mark.Lee@oeb.gov.on.ca
