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Die Creol taal (1996)

Die Creol taal

(1996)–Cefas van Rossem, Hein van der Voort–rechtenstatus Auteursrechtelijk beschermd

250 years of Negerhollands texts


Vorige Volgende

5 The late 19th century

5.1 Pontoppidan (1881)

The material in this section is from Dr. Erik Pontoppidan, a Danish physician who lived on St. Thomas and wrote an article about Negerhollands in the Zeitschrift für Ethnologie. Although it is rather obvious from his remarks about Negerhollands that he was not a linguist, his article is very valuable because it contains, apart from a copy of the 14th chapter of Matthew taken from Magens (1781), two other sections which were recorded from late 19th-century Negerhollands speakers of St. Thomas by Pontoppidan himself, proverbs (that were copied in Adams 1977) and an informal conversation. Here, we only present the Negerhollands texts, and we leave out Pontoppidan's German translations.



illustratie
16. Emmaus on St. John


1 -Kaker -laker1 no ha bestel na hundu sji cot
  cockroach NEG have business NA chicken 3POS run

  -Hundu suk makūtu, makūtu tu him
  chicken search basket basket lock.in 3SG

  -Pad mi long, geambó drog na sji boom
  road BE long ochre dry NA 3POS tree

  -Een finger no kan fang lus
  one finger NEG can catch louse

5 -Blau diffie seg: wen regen caba, mi sal bau mi eigen hus
  blue pigeon say when rain finish 1SG FUT build 1SG own house

  -Pobre folluk no fo ha hart bran
  poor people NEG FOR have hearth burn

  -Hundu seg: mi kan sweer for mi eju, mo no fo mi
  chicken say 1SG can swear for 1SG egg but NEG FOR 1SG

    kikin -sji
    chick-DIM

  -Na guj hart mak cabrita sji gat bin nabit-ti
  NA good herd make goat 3POS bottom BE outside

10 -Pobre no bin fraj.
  poor NEG BE nice

  -Wanneer de wind ris, dan ju fo kik hundu sji gat
  when DET wind rise then 2SG FOR see hen 3POS bottom

  -Na groot geest mak Crab -bo no ha kop
  EMP great mind make crab NEG have head

  -Wanneer jekké sji flegon ha breek, dan him suk fo
  when guinea.fowl 3POS wing PST break then 3SG search FOR

    how geselskap mit hundu
    hold company with hen

15 -Cocro no bang Slang, Slang no bang cocro
  crocodile NEG afraid snake snake NEG afraid crocodile

  -Water kok fo fes, fes no weet
  water boil FOR fish fish NEG know

  -Kuj sji horn noit sal ben swar for him drag
  cow 3POS horn never FUT BE heavy FOR 3SG carry

  -Brambi fal na molassi, da sut him ka fen
  ant fall NA molasses EMP sweet 3SG PRF find

  -Bergi mit Bergi no kan tek, ma twee mens sal tek
  mountain with mountain NEG can touch but two people FUT touch

20 -Mata mumma, du die before die kint, him sal jeet; ma
  kill mother do DET in.front.of DET child 3SG FUT eat but

    mata kint, du die before mumma, him no sal jeet, him
    kill child do DET in.front.of mother 3SG NEG FUT eat 3SG

    sal kris
    FUT cry

  -Wat ple ju bottle bin, mi glas bin.
  what place 2SG bottle BE 1SG glass BE

  -Een man dodt een ander man brod.
  a man death an other man bread

25 -Ekke man suk sji eigen wif
  every man search 3POS own wife

  -Man dodt, besjet gurri na sji door.
  man death grass grow NA 3POS door

  -No fordimak pussje wander him fang rotter2.
  NEG because cat.DIM walk 3SG catch rat.PL

  -Crabbo no wander, him no kom fet; as him
  crab NEG walk 3SG NEG come fat when 3SG

  wander attofel, him sal loop na pot.
  walk too.much 3SG FUT go NA pot

  Probe eines Gesprächs im gewöhnlichen Kreol3.
  ‘Specimen of a conversation in ordinary Creole’

30 -Morruk, cabé, huso ju be die frufru?
  morning comrade how 2SG BE DET morning

  -Dank, mi be fraj. Huso ju slaap dunko? Ju ka drum enista
  thanks 1SG BE well how 2SG sleep night 2SG PRF dream something

    fraj?
    well

  -Mi no ha slaap fraj, mi ha ha pin na mi tan, ma die
  1SG NEG PST sleep well 1SG PST have pain NA 1SG tooth but DET

    fru die be mussie better, dank God.
    morning DET BE much better thanks God

35 -Ju aht to fo loop na die doctor fo trek die tan na
  2SG ought to FOR go NA DET doctor FOR pull DET tooth NA

    bitte.
    outside

  -Mi addu wak bitzji meer, fo kik as die tan
  1SG rather wait little more FOR see if DET tooth

    sal pin mi weeran, dan mi sal loop fo trek die. Wat ju
    FUT pain 1SG again then 1SG FUT go FOR pull DET what 2SG

    sal eet fo frukost van -dag?
    FUT eat FOR breakfast today

40 -Mi sal ha stof fleis mit bateta en dan ene kominsje
  1SG FUT have stewed meat with potato and then one cup.DIM

    te. Cabé Meria, ju loop na ju grun fo lo peck
    tea comrade Meria 2SG go NA 2SG field FOR ASP gather

    geambó en dig bateta. Die pampun no ka rip nungal, te
    ochro and dig potato DET pumpkin NEG PRF ripe yet until

    die manskin ful. Die Peterselje no bin fraj nungal fo
    DET moonlight full DET parsley NEG BE good yet FOR

    snie.
    cut

45 -Huso die beest lo kom an?
  how DET animal ASP come on

  -Die how cirj4 bin fol, en sal gaw ha calluf. Die boricka ka
  DET old cow BE full and FUT soon have calf DET donkey PRF

    marro en caló over die bergi, mi ka stier die
    run.away and PRF.go across DET mountain 1SG PRF send DET

    jung fo lo fang die. Die farki bin na cot, mi lolo suk
    boy FOR ASP catch DET DET pig BE NA sty 1SG ASP.go search

    bateta -tow, fo jeet fo die. Een cuj ka kom over die
    potato -stalk FOR eat FOR DET a cow PRF come across DET

50   barcad en ka destroi alga die jung Plantsoon; wen mi
    fence and PRF destroy all DET young planting when 1SG

    fang die mi sal drag die na fort, mak die eigenaer
    catch DET 1SG FUT carry DET NA fort make DET owner

    betal. Mi lolo na taphus, mi lolo suk stekki
    pay 1SG ASP.go NA Taphus(town) 1SG ASP.go search piece

    sowed gut fo mi goj na pot.
    salt stuff FOR 1SG throw NA pot

  -Wat ju sal ha fo dinner?
  what 2SG FUT have FOR dinner

55 -Mi no weet, mi wel bak fes mit bak banana; wen mi no
  1SG NEG know 1SG like bake fish with baked banana when 1SG NEG

    kan ha ander, mi jeet sowed gut mit funchi
    can have other 1SG eat salt stuff with cornbread

  -Mi wonder, as die ha eniste nyw na taphus; mi
  1SG wonder if DET have something new NA Taphus(town) 1SG

    mankee loop fo weet die nyw, as ni kom na Plantaj;
    want go FOR know DET new because 1SG come NA plantation

    fordimak we ha werk fo du na plantaj. Wi5 ha fo
    because 1PL have work FOR do NA plantation 1PL have FOR

60   loop na camina fo lo plant die sukustok.
    go NA field FOR ASP plant DET sugarcane

  -Ma biren, die pot lo brau.
  but neighbour DET pot ASP brew

  -Du die na grun te mi hoppo. Mi lo prat mit die
  put DET NA field until 1SG stand.up 1SG ASP talk with DET

    mester, ma mi sal kom kik na die miselluf.
    master but 1SG FUT come see NA DET myself

  -Mi sal groot te asteran, mi sal kom weeran.
  1SG FUT greet until later 1SG FUT come again

65 -Adios
  goodbye

Translation

The cockroach does not have any reason to be in a chicken run.

The chicken looks for the basket, the basket locks it in.

The road is long, the ochro dries on its tree.

One finger cannot catch lice.

The blue bird says: when the rain is finished, I will build my own house.

Poor people do not have [wood] for their hearth to burn.

The chicken says: I can swear for my eggs, but not for my chickens.

In a good herd goat its bottom is outside.

The poor are not nice.

When the wind rises, then you should be able to see the hen's bottom.

A great mind makes the crab not have a head

When the guinea fowl's wings have broken, then it looks for company with the hen.

The crocodile is not afraid of die snake, the snake is not afraid of the crocodile.

The water boils for fish, the fish does not know.

The cow's horns never will be too heavy for him to carry.

The ant falls into the molasses, because he found it sweet.

The mountain cannot touch another mountain, but two people will touch

Kill the mother in front of the child, and it will eat; but kill the child in front of the mother, she will not eat, she will cry.

Wherever your bottle is, my glass is also

One man's death is another man's bread.

Each man looks for his own wife.

When a man is dead, grass grows at his door.

It is not because a cat strolls around, that it catches rats.

A crab does not walk around, it does not become fat; when it walks around too much, it will go into the pot.

 

Specimen of a conversation in ordinary creole.

- Morning, comrade, how are you this morning?

- Thanks, I am fine. How did you sleep last night. Did you dream something nice?

- I did not sleep well, I had pain in my tooth, but in the morning it was much better, thank God.

- You ought to go to the doctor to pull out the tooth.

- I rather wait a little longer, to see if the tooth will hurt me again, then I will go to pull it. What will you eat for breakfast today?

- I will have stewed meat with potatoes and then a cup of tea. Comrade Meria, you go to your field to go gather ochre and dig potatoes. The pumpkin has not ripened yet, until the moon is full. The parsley is not good yet for cutting.

- How are the animals coming along?

- The old cow is pregnant and will soon have a calf. The donkey has run away and gone across the mountain, I have sent the boy to go catch it. The pig is in the sty, I will go look for potato stalk for it to eat. A cow has come across the fence and has destroyed all the young plants; when I catch it, I will bring it to the fort, and make the owner pay. I will go to Taphus, I will go look for a piece of salted meat for me to throw into the pot.

- What will you have for dinner?

- I do not know. I like baked fish with baked banana; when I cannot have anything else, I eat salted meat with cornbread.

- I wonder if there is something new in Taphus; I need to go to know the news, because I come to the plantation; because we have work to do in plantation. I have to go to the field to go plant sugarcane.

- But neighbour, the pot is brewing.

- Put it on the ground until I stand up. I am going to talk with the master, but I will come and look at it myself.

- I will greet until later, I will come again.

- Goodbye.

5.2 The Magens letter

In 1914 the famous creolist avant la lettre Hugo Schuchardt published the so-called ‘Magens-letter’ in the Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsche Taal- en Letterkunde. This letter, written on the 23rd of February 1883 and addressed to Schuchardt, was written by A. Magens, a descendant of J.M. Magens (see Introduction and section 4.4.2). In the same volume, a translation of the letter into Dutch and a postscript were published by D.C. Hesseling. Unfortunately, we have not been able to trace the original manuscript of the letter, and we suspect that it has disappeared. At least, it has not turned up so far in the Schuchardt Archive in Graz, Austria.

The letter is an interesting example of a 19th-century free composition in Negerhollands, in which several topics of daily life are included. Notice that A. Magens admits having only limited knowledge of the language.

1 Mi liewe Maester Dokter! Mi ha dink di beste Manii fo mi fo mak
  1SG dear master doctor 1SG PST think DET best manner FOR 1SG FOR make

  ju ferstann di rekte Manii, di Creol tael pratt, be fo kriff
  2SG understand DET right manner DET creole language talk BE FOR write

  ju na Creol, as faer as mi kan. Mi no weet muschi fan di, bot wa
  2SG NA creole as far as 1SG can 1SG NEG know much of DET but what

  mi weet mi be tofreeden fo skriff. Mi no weet fo spell die wort
  1SG know 1SG BE satisfied FOR write 1SG NEG know FOR spell DET word

5 sender frei, mi be spell di as mi fang di, wanaer mi hoor di follek
  3PL well 1SG BE spell DET as 1SG catch DET when 1SG hear DET people

  sender. Mi ka fragg en maenschi fan en how creol familli fo hellep
  3PL 1SG PRF ask a girl of an old creole family FOR help

  mi, mi ka fragg am na Ingis wa mi mankee fo sae, an am sae mi
  1SG 1SG PRF ask 3SG NA English what 1SG want FOR say and 3SG say 1SG

  hosó fo sae na Creol. Na di Manii mi dink mi sa gii ju en frei
  how FOR say NA creole NA DET way 1SG think 1SG FUT give 2SG a good

  ferstann fan di tael.
  understanding of DET language

10 Mi ka probee fo krii som buk fan di Creol, bot mi no kan krii
  1SG PRF try FOR get some book of DET creole but 1SG NEG can get

  meer as een posallem buk fan di jaar aktiin hondert an
  more than a hymn book of DET year eighteen hundred and

  fii an dertig6 an een niu testament, wa no ha di datum fan di
  four and thirty and a new testament what NEG have DET date of DET

  jaar7. Mi ha sukk oká di Grammar, wa een fan mi how familli ha
  year 1SG PST search also DET grammar what one of 1SG old family PST

  skriff8, mi no ha krii di nungáel; mi hoop gáw mi sa krii een fo
  write 1SG NEG PST get DET yet 1SG hope soon 1SG FUT get one FOR

15 stier na ju.
  send NA 2SG

  Mi dink ju sa wees blii fo hoor muschi creol wort, so mi sa
  1SG think 2SG FUT BE happy FOR hear much creole word so 1SG FUT

  skriff nu alga di wort sender mi ka fenn.
  write now all DET word 3PL 1SG PRF find

  Wanaer ons hopó na frufru, ons sae ons gebeet; ons was ons lief,
  when 1PL get.up NA morning 1PL say 1PL prayer 1PL wash 1PL body

  caam ons haar, skon ons heele gesekt, foorhof, hogo, naes, munn mi
  comb 1PL hair clean 1PL whole face forehead eye nose mouth with

20 lepp an tann, hoor, kak, tschinn, keel, skowwe mi aerem, hann an
  lip and tooth ear cheek chin throat shoulder with arm hand and

  finger, bors, big, reggé, hepp, di twee bell9, kenii, futto an
  finger breast belly back hip DET two buttock knee foot and

  taeschi sender. Dann ons drook ons lief an du án ons duko. Di
  toe 3PL then 1PL dry 1PL body and put on 1PL cloth DET

  frow -follek du án hemeté, dann onder -saya, kowsen mi skuen,
  woman -people put on chemise then under -skirt stocking with shoe

  dann kaputó, benn sen kop mi sen naesduk. Di man -follek sender
  then apron bind 3PL head with 3PL kerchief DET man -people 3PL

25 du án hemeté mi bruk, onder -kamsol, dann sen batschi an hutt
  put on shirt with trousers under -camisole then 3PL jacket and hat

  bo sen kop. Di kleen kinn sender du án sen kleen japon an nae
  above 3PL head DET little child 3PL put on 3PL small dress and NEG

  ting ander gutt. - Wanaer ons ka kabá klaet, ons ném ons heet water
  thing other thing - when 1PL PRF finish dress 1PL take 1PL hot water

  mi sukku; di man sender ném en sopi. Sender well sopi muschi, sender
  with sugar DET man 3PL take a dram 3PL like dram much 3PL

  ném di fan frufru an aster se jeet sen frokóss, wanaer di ka
  take DET of morning and after 3PL eat 3PL breakfast when DET PRF

30 klár. Di frokóss, sender well, be funschi mi féss, an dann sen ném
  ready DET breakfast 3PL like BE cornbread with fish and then 3PL take

  en sopi werán. As ju kik sen well sopi muschi. Sender ném sopi so
  a dram again as 2SG see 3PL like dram much 3PL take dram so

  feel as sen kann10 fo krii. - As sen kan krii fo jeet, sen been lei
  much as 3PL can FOR get - as 3PL can get FOR eat 3PL BE lazy

  fo werrek. Sen well fo geerá an fegeté testen makander. - Disó bé
  FOR work 3PL like FOR quarrel and fight against each.other - this BE

  di manii fan leff fan di power follek.
  DET way of live of DET poor people

35 Di ander Dack di ha mak hondert mi feiftig jaar di Baas
  DET other day DET PST make hundred with fifty year DET master

  Domini ha ko hisó fo praek fo di Neger sender. Se ha
  Ministern PST come here FOR preach FOR DET negro 3PL 3PL PST

  howd -óp di Dack an se ha lei di fondament fo en niú kerrek.
  celebrate? DET day and 3PL PST lay DET foundation FOR a new church

  Alga di hook koop fan di lann ha wees da, di Gowerneer mi
  all DET high head of DET country PST BE there DET Governor with

  schi wif ha lei di eerste steen. Alma di lees an di praek an
  3POS wife PST lay DET first stone all DET reading and DET sermon and

40 di posallem ha wees na íngis. Wanaer se ha howd -óp di hondert
  DET hymn PST BE NA English when 3PL PST celebrate DET hundred

  jaar, se ha lees an praek na creol. Mi ha fragg di Domini fo
  year 3PL PST reading a sermon NA creole 1SG PST ask DET Minister FOR

  suk di praedikaschi fan di Dagg, an am ha blóff mi fo suk
  search DET sermon of DET day and 3SG PST promise 1SG FOR search

  di fo mi.
  DET FOR 1SG

  Na di slaventidt, ers di neger sender ha krii fri, di a ha
  NA DET slave.time before DET negro 3PL PST get free DET PST have

45 muschi sukkuplantai. Di werrek na di sukkuplantai ha wees
  much sugar.plantation DET work NA DET sugar.plantation PST BE

  hardt werrek. Di follek sender, mann mi frow, a ha fo hopó
  hard work DET people 3PL man with woman PST have FOR get.up

  fru a foordagg, ném schi how bobo schi skowwe, schi
  early NA dawn take 3POS pick.axe above 3POS shoulder 3POS

  kap -mess na schi hann fo lo na kámmina, mi di gaeng mi di
  machete NA 3POS hand FOR go NA field with DET gang with DET

  bumba aster sender fo ki sen werrek. Dann sen werrek te sess
  overseer after 3PL FOR look 3PL work then 3PL work until six

50 ier. - Di jeet wa sender ha kri, ha wees fárria an meel fo
  o'clock - DET food what 3PL PST get PST BE groundcorn and flour FOR

  mak funschi, an herring mi po -werdjáck. Di maester oká ha
  make cornbread and herring with stockfish DET master also PST

  gi sender fo dúkku bambú mi gaimás. As sen mankee en eeneste
  give 3PL FOR cloth bombazine with rough.linen as 3PL want an any

  gut meer, sen ha fo koop di fan sen eegen stibbo11. Elkereen ha
  thing more 3PL have FOR buy DET of 3PL own money everyone PST

  krii stekki gronn van sen maester fo plant sen negerjeet. Sen a kan
  get piece ground of 3PL master FOR plant 3PL negroe.food 3PL PST can

55 plant boonschi (wandu -boonschi, sni -boon -schi, wét -boonschi,
  plant bean walk -bean.DIM string.bean.DIM white -bean.DIM

  root -boonschi, swatt -hogo - boonschi, gob -gob), pampuun, giámbo, suut
  red -bean.DIM black -eye - bean.DIM calabash.RED pumpkin ochre sweet

  báttata, kongkomber, kassaw. Fan alma di gut sender hisó sen ha
  potato cucumber cassave of all DET thing 3PL here 3PL PST

  kook sen sopp. Di grunsel fo sen pott sen ha plant di oká:
  cook 3PL soup DET vegetables FOR 3PL pot 3PL PST plant DET also

  langajún12 tiim, pittischelli. Di eeneste fleis sen a kan krii fo
  long.onion thyme parsley DET only meat 3PL PST can get FOR

60 jeet, ha wees ferki -fleis an kabrita -fleis. Di Neger wa diin di
  eat PST BE pork -meat and goat -meat DET negro who serve DET

  maester mi schi frow na di huus, sender ha krii frei jeet fan di
  master with 3POS wife NA DET house 3PL PST get good food of DET

  maester schi tafel. - Wanaer di neger sender been astrann o lei fo
  master 3POS table - when DET negro 3PL BE impudent or lazy FOR

  werrek, dann sen krii slá mi een kab -uett o sukkufell fan di
  work then 3PL get beating with a whip or cat of DET

  bumba.
  overseer

65 Na di plantai di eigener a ha búrrika, noli, cabai, kui, skap.
  NA DET plantation DET owner PST have donkey mule horse cow sheep

  Di burrika mi cabai an bull -kui ha drei di sukku -mulla fo mulla
  DET donkey with horse and bull -cow PST turn DET sugar -mill FOR grind

  di sukkustok, wa di follek sender ha kap an di noli ha
  DET sugar.cane what DET people 3PL PST cut and DET mule PST

  bring fan di kámmina. Di maellek an di calfi fan die kui mi di
  bring of DET field DET milk and DET calf of DET cow with DET

  skap sen ha frokó na taphus. Di eigener oká ha kvaek
  sheep 3PL PST sell NA Taphus DET owner also PST breed

70 kalkun mi hundu, palpat, tschekké, diffi an powwis; fan di staert
  turkey with chicken duck guinea.fowl pigeon and peacock of DET tail

  fan di powwis sen ha mak fliggi -besom. Sender ha plant sonder
  of DET peacock 3PL PST make fly -broom 3PL PST plant without

  sukku ander jeet, jamus, bákuba, bánnana, mais an muschi ander gut. -
  sugar other food yam banana horse -banana maize and much other thing -

  Di neger sender na di plantai sen noit ha trow, bot di mann
  DET negro 3PL NA DET plantation 3PL never PST marry but DET man

  mi frow ha paar makander. - Elkereen fan di huus fan di neger
  with woman PST mate each.other - everyone of DET house of DET negro

75 sender a ha twee kamber, een slaap -kamber mi een foor -kamber. Di
  3PL PST have two room a sleep -room with a front -room DET

  foorhemmelte fan di huus ha wees sukku -bla, an di shi fan di
  canopy of DET house PST BE sugar -leaf and DET side of DET

  huus ha wees mii13. Sen hisraat14 ha wees en banki mi en plank -tafel.
  house PST BE wall 3PL furniture PST BE a bench with a board -table

  Sen slap -plae ha wees bánnana -bla. Sen ha en kaes fo boa sen
  3PL sleep -place PST BE banana -leaf 3PL have a case FOR keep 3PL

  duku. Sen ha kook sen jeet foor sen door, sen no a ha
  cloth 3PL PST cook 3PL food before 3PL door 3PL NEG PST have

80 kamb -huus.
  kitchen

  Wanaer di neger sender been sikk, di eigener ha stiir fo di dokter,
  when DET negro 3PL BE ill DET owner PST send FOR DET doctor

  wa ha gi sender purgaschi fo laxeer sender, an sender a ha fo
  who PST give 3PL purgative FOR purge 3PL and 3PL PST have to

  lo na grass. Wanaer sender ha piin na bors, dann sender kri dreppel.
  go NA grass when 3PL have pain NA breast then 3PL get drops

  Di neger sender weet muschi blá fo ném wanae sen fuul sikk foor
  DET negro 3PL know much leave FOR take when 3PL feel ill FOR

85 kuurdi sender sellef. Di ha en boom, sen lo rupp di
  cure.it 3PL self DET have a tree 3PL ASP call DET

  piin -na -koop -blá -boom; di blá van die sen benn na sen foorhof fo
  pain -in -head -leave -tree DET leave of DET 3PL bind NA 3PL forehead FOR

  piin na koop. Fo piin na big sen kook
  pain NA head FOR pain NA belly 3PL cook

  su -sákka - mi lamunschi -bla, sen du stekki appelschina skael na benne
  sour -sack with lemon.DIM -leaf 3PL put piece orange peel NA inside

  mi en klompi sowt, an sen du en stekki djindjamber oká na benne.
  with a lump salt and 3PL put a piece ginger also NA inside

90 Sens di neger sender ha krii fri, sen ka reil sen manii fo lef.
  since DET negro 3PL PST get free 3PL PRF swap 3PL manner FOR live

  Sen ka ko so astrann an makti mi sender sellef, dat sen
  3PL PRF come so bold and powerful with 3PL self that 3PL

  gló sen been as gutt as elke follek. Bot wanae se fenn sender sellef
  belief 3PL BE as good as every people but when 3PL find 3PL self

  na plá sen no ka pratt or klaar sender sellef, dann sen ha fo ló
  NA trouble 3PL NEG PRF talk or clear 3PL self then 3PL have FOR go

  fo fragg di blanko sender, fo hellep sender. Twee, dri fan di how
  FOR ask DET white 3PL FOR help 3PL two three of DET old

95 neger sender sen nungaal weet fo bidragg sender sellef tegen di
  negro 3PL 3PL yet know FOR behave 3PL self towards DET

  blanko sender mi manii an blefgeit.
  white 3PL with manner and politeness

  Mi sa nu probee fo gi ju en gedakten fan di follek sender, an
  1SG FUT now try FOR give 2SG a thought of DET people 3PL and

  mi sa nu fotell ju wa ha geskidt di ander aster -meendagg.
  1SG FUT now tell 2SG what PST happen DET other after -noon

  Di ander dunko djis aster di skot ka skidt fo akt iir mi ha
  DET other night just after DET shot PRF shot FOR eight o'clock 1SG PST

100 lo ném en keir na mullé -shi. Wanae mi ha rák as faer as
  go take a stroll NA down -side when 1SG PST reach as far as

  groot -straat, mi ha drei op fo bakafaal15, an mi ha hoor en groot
  great -street 1SG PST turn up FOR Bakawal and 1SG PST hear a great

  uprú mi tuduun. Di follek sender ha currii op an neer di
  uproar with ado DET people 3PL PST run up and down DET

  straat, sen a lo skrew, mi no ka ferstann wa di ha wees
  street 3PL PST ASP scream 1SG NEG PRF understand what DET PST BE

  te mi ha kri kann -sender. Dann mi ha kik benné en kleen huus
  until 1SG PST get near -3PL then 1SG PST look inside a small house

105 full mi follek; di door ha wees hopó, an en frow ha stann na di
  full with people DET door PST BE open and a woman PST stand NA DET

  door, lo skrew an kriss: ‘mi kinn lo dodt, mi power kinn lo
  door ASP scream and cry 1SG child ASP die 1SG poor child ASP

  dodt’. Mi ha fragg wa skort am. Am no ha antoat mi, am a
  die 1SG PST ask what fail 3SG 3SG NEG PST answer 1SG 3SG PST

  howd -an fo skrew an hiil. Dann mi ha lo na benne fo kii di
  hold -on FOR scream and cry then 1SG PST go NA inside FOR see DET

  maenschi misellef. Mi ha fenn am na bó di flu lo rool an skrew
  girl myself 1SG PST find 3SG NA on DET floor ASP roll and scream

110 su wae as schi ma. Dann een van di frow sender wa ka stann desbi
  some much as 3POS mother then one of DET woman 3PL who PRF stand near

  di maenschi ha sae: ‘Na big am fo ha. Na better fo ruup en
  DET girl PST say EMP belly 3SG FOR have EMP better FOR call a

  dokter; am sa weet een maal wa du am.’ Dann schi ma ha beginn
  doctor 3SG FUT know one time what do 3SG then 3POS mother PST begin

  fo flukk an damineer an sae: ‘ju liik, ju foflukte kapman, mi kinn
  FOR curse and damn and say 2SG corpse 2SG cursed hangman 1SG child

  na en frei kinn, am ló na kerrek an am no speel mi man, so wáplae
  EMP a good child 3SG go NA church and 3SG NEG play with man so where

115 am sa ka krii big? ju no sa bederreg mi kinn schi karaktee, mi
  3SG FUT PRF get belly 2SG NEG FUT deceive 1SG child 3POS character 1SG

  sa draa ju forren di bifó16 fo mak schi naam frei. Mi sa
  FUT carry 2SG before DET district.judge FOR make 3POS name good 1SG FUT

  gi ju en butt mi en skop, ju ferdammte teff.’ Dann di ander frow
  give 2SG a kick with a shovel 2SG damned bitch then DET other woman

  ha sae: ‘ju ondangbar baes, mi ha sae ju die waargeit, wa du ju
  PST say 2SG ungrateful beast 1SG PST say 2SG DET truth what do 2SG

  kinn, an ju no wae gloof. Ju sa kii, am sa krii na en iir -tidt
  child and 2SG NEG want belief 2SG FUT see 3SG FUT get NA an hour -time

120 en kinn, dann ju sa gloof. Mi sa kumitt it ju huus.’ ‘Mi sa
  a child then 2SG FUT belief 1SG FUT come.out out 2SG house 1SG FUT

  lapp ju eers ju lo.’ ‘Du di as ju kann.’ Dann am ha gi am di
  slap 2SG before 2SG go do DET as 2SG can then 3SG PST give 3SG DET

  lapp, an sen ha fang fegeté an am ha skaer am naken an gi am en
  slap and 3PL PST catch fight on 3SG PST rip 3SG naked and give 3SG a

  bit na schi finger an sae: naem di da nu fo wa ju ha sae
  bite NA 3POS finger and say take DET there now FOR what 2SG PST say

  tegen mi kinn.’ Di pestakel ha wees so groot, sen ha skrew
  against 1SG child DET uproar PST BE so great 3PL PST scream

125 ‘moodt, di twee frow lo mattá een mi makander, ruup di citéres.’
  murder DET two woman ASP kill one with each.other call DET police

  Di citéres ha ko an frá: na wa ka geskidt?’ an
  DET police PST come and ask EMP what PRF happen and

  sender ha neem sender fo draa na fort. Na di tidt sen ha ka
  3PL PST take 3PL FOR carry NA fort NA DET time 3PL PST PRF

  raak na fort, en frow a kurrii fo beddel di bifo fo
  get NA fort a woman PST run FOR beg DET district.judge FOR

  lo stann
  let stand

130 di frow ko kii schi kinn lo dodt. Di bifo ha sae di
  DET woman come see 3POS child ASP die DET district.judge PST say DET

  citéres lo mi am fo kii wa du di kinn an bring am weran, an
  police go with 3SG FOR see what do DET child and bring 3SG back and

  kri en dokter oká fo kii di sikk. - So sen ha krii bénné di plaas,
  get a doctor also FOR see DET ill - so 3PL PST get inside DET place

  se ha hoor di maenschi lo steen; di dokter ha lo na bénné an
  3PL PST hear DET girl ASP moan DET doctor PST go NA inside and

  pratt mi am, an na di sellef tidt di kinn ha geboren. Dann di
  talk with 3SG and NA DET same time DET child PST born then DET

135 má ha beginn fo slá di maenschi, an di citéres mi di follek
  mother PST begin FOR beat DET girl and DET police with DET people

  sender ha neem am waefo no mattá di maenschi.
  3PL PST take 3SG away.FOR NEG kill DET girl

Proverbs

  As slang bit ju, ju fo bang kakka -tess
  as snake bite 2SG 2SG FOR be.afraid lizard

  As ju ha luus, ju fo ha net.
  as 2SG have louse 2SG FOR have nit

  As ju speel mi honn, honn sa leck ju munn.
  as 2SG play with dog dog FUT lick 2SG mouth

140 As ju goi en steen na himmel, di sa faal bo ju koop.
  as 2SG throw a stone NA sky DET FUT fall above 2SG head

  As ju spick op na himmel, di faal na ju geseck.
  as 2SG spit up NA sky DET fall NA 2SG face

  See no ha boom.
  sea NEG have tree

  Elke follek passó sen eigen affeerens, se sa ha genú fo du.
  every people watch 3PL own business.PL 3PL FUT have enough FOR do

  Fegg ju flu a frufru, no passó ju biiren.
  sweep 2SG floor NA morning NEG watch 2SG neighbour.PL

145 Makakku weet wa fo17 een boom fo klemm, am no klemm stakkelboom
  monkey know what for a tree FOR climb 3SG NEG climb prickle.tree

Translation

Text

My dear master doctor! I thought the best way for me to make you understand the right way the creole language is spoken is to write you in creole as far as I can. I do not know much of it but what I know I am satisfied to write. I do not know how to spell the words well, I am spelling them as I catch them, when I hear the people. I have asked a girl of an old creole family to help me, I have asked her in English what I want to say, and she says to me how to say it in creole. In this way I think I will give you a good understanding of the language. I have tried to get some books in creole but I cannot get more than a hymn book of the year eighteen hundred and thirty four and a New Testament, which does not have the date of the year. I have also searched for the

grammar, which one of my old family has written, I did not get it yet; I hope soon I will get one to send to you. I think you will be happy to hear many creole words, so I will write now all the words I have found. When we get up in the morning we say our prayer; we wash our body, comb our hair, clean our whole face, forehead, eye, nose, mouth with lip and teeth, ear, cheek, chin, throat, shoulder with arm, hand and finger, breast, belly, back, hip, the two buttocks, knees, feet and toes. Then we dry our body and put on our clothes. The women folk put on a chemise, then under-dress, stockings with shoes then jackets, bind their head with their handkerchief. The men folk put on shirt with trousers, under-camisole, then they put a hat on their head. The little children put on their little dress and nothing else. When we are ready dressing we take our hot water with sugar; the men take a dram. They like dram very much, they take it in the morning and after they eat their breakfast when it is ready. The breakfast they want is cornbread with fish, and then they take a dram again. As you see they like their dram very much. They take dram so much as they can get. As they can get to eat, they are bone lazy to work. They want to quarrel and fight against each other. This is the way of life of the poor people. The other day it was hundred and fifty years the head clergyman came here to preach for the negroes. They celebrated the day and they laid the foundation for a new church. All the high heads of the country were there, the Governor with his wife laid the first stone. All the reading and the sermon and the hymns were in English. When they celebrated the hundred year anniversary, they had read a sermon in creole. I asked the clergyman to look for the sermon of the day and he promised me to look for it for me. In the slave period before the negroes had been freed, there were many sugar plantations.

 

The work in the sugar plantations was hard work. The people, men and women, had to get up early at dawn, take their pick axe on their shoulder, their machete in their hand to go to the field, with the gang and the overseer after them to look to them working. Then they worked until six o'clock. The food they got was groundcorn and flour to make cornbread, and herring with stockfish. The master also gave them for cloth bombazine with ?. When they needed something else, they had to buy it of their own money. Everyone received a piece of land from their master to plant their negroe-food. They could plant beans, pigeon peas, string beans, white-beans, red-beans, black eye beans, calabash, pumpkin, ginger, sweet potatoes, cucumber, cassave. Of all the things here they cooked their soup. The vegetables for their pot they planted also: chives, thyme, parsley. The only meat they could get to eat was pork meat and goat meat. The negroes who served the master with his wife in the house, they got free food from the master's table - when the negroes had been bone impudent or lazy to work, then they got flagging with a whip or cat by the overseer. At the plantation the owner had donkeys, mules, horses, cows, sheep. The donkey with horse and bulls turned the sugar mill to grind the sugar cane, which the people had cut and which the mule brought from the field. The milk and the calf of the cow with the sheep they sold in the store. The owner also bred turkeys with chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, pigeons and peacocks; of the tail of the peacock they made fly brooms. They planted besides sugar other food, yam, green bananas, bananas, corn and many other things. The negroes on the plantation they never married, but the man and woman mated each other.

Each of the houses of the negroes had two rooms: a bed room with a front room. The roof of the house was of sugar leaves, and the side of the house was a wall. Their furniture was a bench with a table. Their sleeping place was of banana leaves. They had a closet to keep their cloth. They cooked their food before their door, they did not have a kitchen. When the negroes were ill, the owner sent for the doctor who gave them a purgative to purge them, and they had to walk into the grass. When they had pain in the breast, then they got licorice. The negroes know much about leaves to take when they feel ill to cure themselves. There is a tree, they call the pain-in-head-leaf-tree; the leaves of it they bind on their forehead for pain in the head. For pain in belly they cook sour-sop with lemon-leaf, they put a piece of orange peel inside with a lump of salt, and they put a piece of ginger also inside. Since the negroes were freed, they have changed their way of life. They have become so impudent and powerful with themselves that they believe they are as good as any people. But when they find themselves in trouble they have not spoken or managed themselves, then they have to go to ask the whites to help them. Two, three of the old negroes they still know to behave themselves for the whites with manners and politeness. I will now try to give you an impression of the people, and I will tell you what happened the other afternoon. The other night just after the shot was fired for eight o'clock I went to take a stroll downside. When I had reached as far as Main Street, I turned around to go back, and I heard a great commotion and ado. The people ran up and down the street, they were screaming, I had not understood what it was until I got at Bakawal. Then I looked inside a small house full with people; the door was open, and a woman stood at the door, screaming and crying: ‘My child is dying, my poor child is dying.’ I asked what was wrong with her. She did not answer me, she kept on screaming and crying. Then I went inside to see the girl myself. I found her on the floor rolling and screaming the same way as her mother. Then one of the women who had stood near the girl said: What a belly she has. It is better to call a doctor; he will know at once what do with her. Then her mother began to curse and damn and said: ‘you corpse, you cursed hangman, my child is a good child, she goes to church and she does not play with men, so where she will have gotten such a belly? You will not blemish my child's character, I will drag you before the district judge to clear her name. I will give you a shovel with a kick, you damned bitch.’ Then the other woman said: ‘you ungrateful boss, I told you the truth about what your child did and you do not want to believe it. You will see she will get in an hour's time a child, then you will believe it. I will get out of your house.’ ‘I will slap you ere you go.’ ‘Do as you can.’ Then she gave her the slap and they started fighting, she stripped her naked and gave her a bite in her finger and said: ‘take it there now for what you said against my child.’ The uproar was so great, they screamed ‘murder, the two women are killing one another, call the police.’ The police came and ask: What happened? and they took them in to read them to the fort. In the time they had arrived at the fort, a woman ran to beg the district judge to let the woman come see her child dying. The district judge said to the police go with her to see what the child was doing and bring her back, and get a doctor also to see the patient. So they got inside the place they heard the girl moaning; the doctor went inside and talked with her, and at the same time the child was born. Then the mother began to beat the girl, and the police and the people took her away so she would not kill the girl.

Proverbs

When a snake bites you, you will be afraid of the lizard. When you have lice, you must have nits. When you play with a dog, the dog will lick your mouth. When you throw a stone in the sky, it will fall on your head. As you spit up into the sky, it will fall in your face. In the sea there are no trees. All people watch their own business, they will have enough to do. Sweep your floor in the morning, do not watch your neighbours. A monkey knows what kind of a tree to climb, he does not climb prickle trees.

5.3 The sentences of Greider

In his large study on Negerhollands D.C. Hesseling based his observations especially on the printed texts that were available in the University in Leyden (the Netherlands). In addition, he corresponded with A. Glitsch, the head of the archive of the Moravian Brethren in Herrnhut to obtain more information about Negerhollands. A few letters have been kept in which Hesseling ordered a copy of the Herrnhut grammar of Negerhollands, a copy which is still in the Leyden University library.

Hesseling also sent letters to the Moravian Brethren in St. Thomas to obtain more information, especially about the use of the language in the beginning of the 20th century. Bishop Greider of the Moravian Brethren wrote back the following:

‘The language in its purity is now spoken by a very few old people, principally those living in the country districts. The younger generation speak a mixed dialect that is called Creole, but it contains very many English words ... Our people speak a comparatively pure English and there is no patois like in the French or Dutch islands. In fact if any one wished to study the language as it now is spoken, it would be best to do it immediately.’ (Hesseling 1905:33-34)

Hesseling comments: ‘The (...) words are not as English as they look at first sight; this appears from the translation into older Creole, in Dutch transcription (...).’ (1905:34)

In this section we present successively Greider's example of ‘Bastard Creole’, as he calls it, Hesseling's transcription, our glosses and Greider's English versions.

1 How so you be?
  Hoe so joe be?
  how so 2SG be

How are you

  How so you full for da fru -fru?
  Hoe so joe voel voor die vroe -vroe?
  how so 2SG feel FOR DET morning

How are you feeling this morning?

  Me no full fri for da fru -fru.
  Mie no voel vrie18 voor die vroe -vroe.
  1SG NEG feel good FOR DET morning

I don't feel well this morning

  Ons a how ... na die dunku.
  Ons a hou ...19 na die donker.
  1PL PST keep - NA DET night

We did not have communion last night.


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