[Localization] Localization for Haiti (Kreyol)

[Marvin Demuth]

I have presumed that the language should be 
Kreyol, however, with what I have learned
since I wrote earlier, that may not be the 
case.  I am told that the official language is French,
and that the primary language in the schools is 
French.  My friend, Jude Augusma, tells me that
in the local schools in the rural area that he is 
from, if there are six books used, then five are
in French.  He said that he would think that the 
education and government authorities would
want French used.  He said that when you are in 
government offices, the language is French.

Jude tells me that he have never seen keyboards 
other than standard English keyboards in Haiti.  He
said if you use a computer at any Internet cafe, 
the keyboard is a standard English keyboard.  My friend
is very knowledgeable in computer technology, 
satellite technology and radio technology.  He has served
as the director of a small school.

Marvin

At 06:45 PM 1/13/2008, Walter Bender wrote:
> > How would it differ from French AZERTY? Are 
> there any extra accented letters?
>
>Maybe it wouldn't at all. But I am unsatisfied with the AZERTY layout
>I've been exploring to date--based on the X standard symbol file, as
>it is really complex and very difficult to image using for
>programming.
>
>-walter
>
>On Jan 13, 2008 7:04 PM, Edward Cherlin <echerlin at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 1/12/08, Marvin Demuth <marvindemuth at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > > At 05:11 PM 1/9/2008, Edward Cherlin wrote:
> > >
> > > >What language name did you use? I believe that "Kreyol" is the
> > > >accepted name and spelling in Kreyol for Haitian Creole French, and
> > > >that "Aiysyen" is also acceptable.
> > >
> > > I have done some more research.  Searching the United Nations web
> > > site, I found that there are 464 references 
> to Creole.  There are only five
> > > references to Kreyol.  There are zero references to Aiysyen.
> > >
> > > The USAID/Haiti page refers to Creole.
> >
> > These are in no way normative for the people of Haiti. Google, while
> > not normative, is at least unbiased.
> >
> > about 1,680,000 for haitian creole
> > about 461,000 for kreyol
> > about 230 for aiysyen   <--misspelled at Ethnologue.org
> > about 451,000 for ayisyen
> > about 221,000 for kreyol ayisyen
> > about 179,000 for kreyol-ayisyen
> >
> > So, more or less equal in usage for kreyol and ayisyen, and lots of
> > places where the names are used together. Aiysyen was an error I
> > copied from Ethnologue.
> >
> > The Wikipedia Kreyol Main Page/Paj Prensipal says
> >
> > Ou nan Wikipedya kreyòl ayisyen, ansiklopedi lib ki egziste nan divès lang.
> >
> > The Haitian Embassy Web site, http://www.haiti.org/,  says
> >
> > Official Languages: Creole, French
> >
> > The site is mostly in English and standard French, but has examples of
> > Kreyol. I can  understand this written form somewhat, and expect that
> > I could read my way into it in a day, but I know from experience that
> > I can't understand a word of spoken Ayisyen. Presumably I would in a
> > week or two, if I went there.
> >
> > "Mesdames, Messieurs, Honorables Senateurs et Députés..."
> >
> > http://www.haiti.org/diskou.htm
> >
> > DISKOU PREZIDAN REPIBLIK LA
> > NAN OKAZYON OUVÈTI
> > SESYON ÒDINÈ PALMAN AN
> > PALÈ LEJISLATIF
> >
> > 8 JANVYE 2007
> >
> > Medam, Mesye, Onorab Senatè ak Depite, Konstitisyon an mande m, chak
> > dezyèm lendi janvye, pou m pale ak Nasyon an atravè noumenm, Senatè,
> > Depite ki reprezante l, pou m di kijan m wè sitiyasyon peyi a, men
> > sitou ki pèspektiv pou peyi a.
> >
> > Ki sitiyasyon peyi a, jodia ? Repons la pa difisil. Li nan tout radyo,
> > nan tout televizyon, Nan tout jounal, nan tout lari a. Tout moun
> > konnen l, tout moun ap repete l...
> >
> > > My Haitian friend, Jude Augusma, who grew 
> up in rural Haiti, tells me that
> > > the common people say Kreyol.
> > >
> > > Perhaps, the terminology should be Creole (Kreyol).
> >
> > There are a lot of Creoles. I suggest
> >
> > Haitian Creole (Kreyòl)
> >
> > If we are going to use the native name for the language we should
> > spell it correctly.
> >
> > Library of Congress version of ISO 6.9-2
> > http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php
> >
> > 3LA    2LA    English                                 French
> > hat     ht      Haitian; Haitian Creole         haïtien; créole haïtien
> >
> > and in Kreyòl, it would presumably be
> >
> > Kreyòl; Ayisyen
> >
> > > Marvin Demuth
> > >
> > > I hope to have some thoughts of the keyboard layout soon.
> >
> > How would it differ from French AZERTY? Are 
> there any extra accented letters?
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Edward Cherlin
> > Earth Treasury: End Poverty at a Profit
> > http://www.EarthTreasury.org/
> > "The best way to predict the future is to invent it."--Alan Kay
> >
>
>
>
>--
>Walter Bender
>One Laptop per Child
>http://laptop.org