UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ AMBIVALENCE TOWARDS JAMIEKAN KRIYUOL: OFFICIALISATION VS ACCEPTANCE IN FORMAL SPACES

Oneil N. Madden, Othniel Williams, Jason-Lee Daley

Abstract


Jamaica is the largest island of the Anglophone Caribbean and gained independence from Great Britain in 1962. However, despite English being the country’s official language, the majority of the population speaks Jamaican Creole (JC) as their first language. This linguistic battle has affected educational and social outcomes. Many calls have been made for JC to be officialised, but attitudes toward this vary. This study seeks to ascertain undergraduate students’ perceptions of JC and whether it should obtain official status and be accepted in more formal spaces. The study draws on a corpus of 20 students who responded to a forum on Moodle as part of an Academic Literacy course. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings reveal that students share mixed reactions toward the phenomenon. Those in favour of JC argue that it forms a critical part of cultural identity and heritage, and its officialisation would ensure cultural preservation and promotion. Additionally, the acceptance of JC in more formal spaces, such as educational institutions and courtrooms, would promote inclusion and reduce communication barriers. However, opponents argue that the lack of a standardised orthographic system can create problems and impede clarity in communication. Moreover, some believe that JC should not be used in formal settings, as it is unprofessional and associated with unintelligence. Furthermore, others argue for English to be maintained to promote international communication. The study has implications for curriculum develop and the promotion of courses in JC to expose students to the systems that already exist for knowledge expansion.

 

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Jamaican Creole, language perception, attitude, officialisation, identity

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejals.v8i2.590

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