THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am utterly amazed at the short-sightedness of one of your valued readers concerning the project to translate the Bible into Patois. I was mildly shocked when the reader wrote, "Patois is cute and fun to speak and has its place as a part of our culture."

I take the comment as extreme 'elitism' at its worst and plead that we stop being offended by a language that is very much part of our identity. In fact, this issue raises another critical concern.

This element of our intangible heritage has been short-changed for too long, and I wonder if Louise Bennett-Coverley wouldn't totally grimace at this backward thinking. Have we really stopped to consider why Miss Lou dedicated her life to spreading Patois to the world? Outside of her sheer love for the language, she championed a cause that holds vast economic potential.

Make use of our heritage

As Jamaicans, we must be careful not to allow outsiders to realise the potential of yet another element of our own cultural heritage. Bob Marley set us on the right path by 'internationalising' reggae music and we pussyfooted around for years with this gold mine until it was embraced by outsiders who are today earning more from it than local counterparts. Do we really want to sit by idly and not do more with the distinctive elements of our heritage?

If only we could just admit that Patois, albeit not 'polished enough', is part of who we are. Then and only then will we see the bigger picture, and realise the possibilities. For example, why should we not consider marketing Patois as an essential element of our heritage-tourism product? I am certainly not belittling the substantive reasons for the Bible being translated to Patois, but surely we can see how this would be another way of inciting interest in our language.

Since the world loves Patois, and there is evidence to back this - they are teaching Jamaican in England and the Japanese have published books on the language - why not position ourselves to earn from our heritage? What do we have to lose?

I am, etc.,

JANICE LINDSAY

Commhertours@yahoo.com

THE EDITOR, Sir:

It seems as if the sky is falling, and Armageddon has drawn nigh! The sign that it is near is not earthquakes, the destruction of the earth, food shortages, or the progression of Jamaican society ever closer to anarchy. Rather, it seems Armageddon will be loosed by the angels because of the creation of a Patois Bible!

Somehow I doubt that the creation of a Patois Bible will cause the entire nation to suddenly enter into this feared Patois renaissance which seems to be akin to Armageddon. The powers that are opposed to the Jamaican vernacular are still very much the overlords of our society. We still hate ourselves for speaking our mother language, and that self-hatred will not change because of a single piece of literature. Rather, I fear that, on a whole, a Patois Bible will be dustier on the shelf than even the standard King James Version.

Will it make a difference?

The Patois Bible will probably be nothing more than an academic exercise in translation. The real beneficiary will undoubtedly be stores on the north coast. I'm sure many a visitor or expatriate will buy a Patois Bible (if only for its novelty). However, the average Jamaican will continue to prefer to use a Bible written in 17th-century English, a Bible that scholars admit uses certain phrases that were archaic even at the time it was written!

Understanding the beauty

The real question is: Does reading the original King James Version (or Shakespeare for that matter) help us understand and use modern English? If it doesn't, why is it that we read such works of literature? Is it not primarily for their historical merit? We feel that by struggling to understand archaic English we will somehow be closer to the 'authentic' times of our colonial forefathers.

The point I feel that most Jamaicans will miss, even if this Patois Bible turns out to be an accurate and praiseworthy translation, rather than a money-making farce, is that language is only worthwhile if it is understood. Sometimes, we fight so hard to be understood by the rest of the English-speaking world that we forget the need to understand things for ourselves. Do we really understand the beauty of the Holy Scriptures, or is Bible reading really more like trying to understand French?

Just try

If a Patois Bible can make one 'dege-dege' person pick up a Bible and really understand what he/she is reading and draw closer to God, it would be $60 million well spent. However, if any Bible cannot be understood "so that the church may be built up" (1 Cor 14:5), it is no good to anyone.

I doubt many people will actually use this Patois Bible to its full potential, if it is ever finished. But the state of Jamaican society and the so-called 'Christian world' shows us that we don't seem to be understanding the Bibles we are reading - in any language. Maybe it is time for us to try.

I am, etc.,

ANTON WILSON-SHIM

anton.wilson@gmail.com

1560 Park Grove Dr

Lawrenceville, GA

Via Go-Jamaica

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM utterly amazed by the story that appeared in the June 16 edition of the Observer, headlined 'Patois Bible'.

I am very much religiously inclined and do support any measure or undertaking to help people better understand and appreciate the lessons and teachings of the Bible. However, I do not believe that translating the Bible from English to a largely unrecognised or such a narrowly res-tricted 'language' is a worthwhile approach.

Moreover, I agree that this effort could very much serve to dilute the sanctity of the Scriptures. I find this project to be a complete waste of precious time, effort and money.

Will education benefit?

The expense associated with this project could be more productively used to better attend to the needs of the churchgoers, many of whom are lacking seriously in their education but are very educable. English is the official language of Jamaica and, while I am very much proud of Patois, we must endeavour to teach and learn standard English and not merely aim to take a short-cut approach and legitimise Patois for greater convenience.

Moreover, having regard to the many social ills affecting the country, the Bible Society of the West Indies could better use this $60 million to assist in frontally addres-sing some of these challenges. There are better things to do and worry about now than so translating the Bible.

I am, etc.,

KEVIN KO SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com

New Jersey

Via Go-Jamaica

THE EDITOR, Sir:

As much as elitist Eurocentric Jamaicans like the writer of the Letter of the Day dated June 16 deem Patois to be a lesser language than English, Patois is the language of the masses.

Like English, it has its grammar and its rules. Like English, Patois is a combination of several languages, borrowing words from the Asante among other West African tribes, words from Spanish, English, and the like. To deny Patois is to deny our heritage. It is to deny our distinct historical and anthropological culture.

Uplifting and empowering

As such, a Bible in our language is not 'bizarre'; it is uplifting and empowering. A full time now! Just as the Bible was rightfully translated into Spanish, French and English, so too shall it be translated into Patois.

Mention was also made in that Letter of the Day of literacy issues in Jamaica. I put it to him and others with similar views that the reason we as a country suffer from such dismal literacy rates is due to the fact that English is taught as a first language in Jamaica.

For English to be taught as a first language, there are certain functional prerequisites that must be filled. One major prerequisite is that English should be the language of instruction in the home, and as such English is what is learnt when the child begins to speak. English taught as a first language assumes a basic knowledge of English that need only be fine-tuned.

A terrible disadvantage

English taught as a second language, on the other hand, assumes no prior English knowledge. It teaches English from scratch, as the Japanese or the Spanish would learn it.

As we all know, in most cases, English is not the language spoken in the home or in society in general, leaving the society's less-affluent schools and students at a terrible disadvantage that only repeats itself in GSAT placements and CXC results.

The true mental slavery is the denial of Patois' place. What is truly bizarre is doing the same thing repeatedly and getting different results, or worse, could it be elitist classism?

I am, etc.,

K.A.T.

gooddaz@gmail.com

Old Harbour