Jeanette C.E. Lewis | Stop making people feel inferior for speaking Patois

I read with great interest this week’s Gleaner editorial ‘Justice Sykes rules for Patois’. I am fully in support of the call for government policy that recognises the Jamaican language, Patois, as an official language, while also ensuring that processes are in place to teach our people to speak, write and read English “as part of the country’s integration into the global economy”.

It is unfortunate that so many influential voices in our country refuse to acknowledge that Patois is not just ‘bad English’, but rather a language with standards for spelling and grammar, just the same as is English, Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, Bengali, Zulu, Swedish, Haitian Creole, and many other languages that are officially recognised around the world.

Some months ago, I had the opportunity to be an English language coach to a University of the West Indies (UWI) first year student to help her with English, and specifically to complete some papers that were required to pass one of her courses.

It saddened me that this bright young lady who hailed from a rural community was hampered by the fact of having Patois as her first language and, having not received suitable teaching of the English language during her primary and secondary years, found herself in university unable to articulate adequately in English to fulfil some of the requirements of her courses.

It was heartbreaking to see her lack of confidence due to her being made to feel that she is inferior because Patois is her first language and, through no fault of her own, has not been taught English correctly.

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My reference to “suitable teaching of the English Language” is because I agree 100 per cent with The Gleaner’s editorial statement that our students struggle with English because it is not being taught as a foreign/second language. Those who determine and establish the policies for how English is taught in our schools need a complete change of mindset, because until that principle takes root in their consciousness, the challenge of our people being incompetent in the use of English will get worse as time passes.

Maybe Mr Joseph Farquharson at the Jamaican Language Unit at the UWI can advise and share the results of research done to prove the theory that Patois-speaking students who are taught English as a second language are more competent in the use of English than those who are taught by methods that assume a natural affinity to English.

We must stop making our people feel that they are inferior or a source of amusement because they speak Patois. Instead, focus on changing the way English is taught to students so that they can be competent in English and still confidently use whichever language is appropriate in the various circumstances they might find themselves.

Jeanette C.E. Lewis is a marketing communications strategist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.