Margaret speaking Haitian

Video license

CC BY-NC 4.0

Video file downloads

Dropbox (.mp4)

This video was recorded by Elise Lieberman in New York City, USA, where she and Margaret met. Haitian Creole, known more commonly by its speakers as Krèyol, is spoken by as many as 12 million people, primarily in the Caribbean nation of Haiti, where it is co-official alongside French, as well as by diaspora communities worldwide. A French Creole language, Haitian emerged in the 17th century CE as a lingua franca among enslaved West Africans, who hailed from a myriad of language communities. It bears close resemblance to other Caribbean creoles, including Louisiana Creole French and the Antillean languages of Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia, and Dominica. Historically a spoken language only, there has been a shift toward its inclusion in the literary and political spheres since the turn of the 21st century.

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