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stephen matlock
stephen matlock

551 Followers

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2 days ago

Maurice Sixto and His Stories

Or, the Perils of Translations — Maurice Sixto (1919–1984) was a pioneer of Haitian storytelling in the genre known as Lodyans, folk tales with a mordant point or deep insight into Haitian culture and mores. I’ve listened to one of his more famous stories, Restavèk, which is about the treatment of poor children in Haiti who…

Haiti

4 min read

Maurice Sixto and His Stories
Maurice Sixto and His Stories
Haiti

4 min read


Mar 17

Mwen damou pou Vava

I once met a girl — or maybe just saw her — and I’ve not been the same since — So it’s been a little more than a year since I started learning Haitian Creole. There have been many wonderful things that have happened because I began learning this language — I’ve me so so many truly wonderful people who encourage me and assist me and even gently correct me…

Haitiancreole

3 min read

Mwen damou pou Vava
Mwen damou pou Vava
Haitiancreole

3 min read


Mar 2

What makes someone a human?

Let’s talk about our siblings — This is a change of pace for my conversations. For the past year or so I’ve been focusing on learning Haitian Creole. And that has been a good journey that I’m still continuing. My instructors keep pushing me harder to learn their language to become a fluent speaker and competent…

Christianity

8 min read

What makes someone a human?
What makes someone a human?
Christianity

8 min read


Feb 23

It’s Been a Minute…

The long, long journey to learn a language — DAY 365! Good lord, I thought I’d never make it. It was 365 days ago I first started using #Duolingo to begin my journey learning Haitian Creole (#kreyol #ayisyen). Why? Well, two reasons, really. One is that I have a few friends from Haiti and I’ve wanted to learn to…

Haiti

6 min read

It’s Been a Minute…
It’s Been a Minute…
Haiti

6 min read


Feb 19

Day 360 : Se Papa Li, Se Pa Pa Li

The journey towards mastery of Haitian Creole continues… — It’s so interesting to me that I am a student of Haitian Creole who’s been studying for 360 days now, and I don’t think I change my skills or knowledge depending upon the audience. …

Haiti

2 min read

Day 360 : Se Papa Li, Se Pa Pa Li
Day 360 : Se Papa Li, Se Pa Pa Li
Haiti

2 min read


Feb 9

The Subtle Traps for the Unwary Learner

It’s not enough to know just words and grammar — Today is 351 days since I began to learn Haitian Creole. I started with Duolingo, found that it wasn’t enough to teach me, hired one, then a second, and finally a third instructor, all who help me throughout the week with conversations and lessons that are both formal and informal. …

Haiti

3 min read

The Subtle Traps for the Unwary Learner
The Subtle Traps for the Unwary Learner
Haiti

3 min read


Jan 31

Bogs and marshes and slogs oh my!

The language journey winds by a twisted and difficult path — It’s been a slog recently in my language journey. I’ve left behind the curriculum that I was using, and now I’m in somewhat uncharted waters working with my instructors on various aspects of the language. One instructor has asked me to edit their latest curriculum because, I guess, I try…

Haiti

3 min read

Bogs and marshes and slogs oh my!
Bogs and marshes and slogs oh my!
Haiti

3 min read


Jan 29

Safety monitors

Perhaps we need a reset of our works of mercy — Let’s talk about the Good Samaritan, which is one of the stories that Jesus told as recorded in the New Testament, a story that was about many things, but the fullness of the story is that it is about Jesus and mercy and the community of his followers. In summary…

Faith

3 min read

Safety monitors
Safety monitors
Faith

3 min read


Jan 27

De Kestyon, Reponn

Two Questions, Answered — This has been a good week or so of study for my Haitian Creole lessons. I’m at the point in my education where I can read fairly well as long as the writing isn’t too complicated. For example, I picked up a copy of the Christian New Testament in Creole…

Haiti

5 min read

De Kestyon, Reponn
De Kestyon, Reponn
Haiti

5 min read


Jan 17

Short stories and lengthy processes

Learning a new language takes all the time that you have — As part of my lessons in learning Haitian Creole, my instructors have me reading short stories that explore various grammatical forms. One of my instructors and I have been hammering out a story for three weeks now, a relatively simple tale of a man who is going to buy a…

Haiti

3 min read

Short stories and lengthy processes
Short stories and lengthy processes
Haiti

3 min read

stephen matlock

stephen matlock

551 Followers

Writer; observer; sometimes doer. Fiat justitia ruat cælum. More at stephenmatlock.com Mostly off Medium now & writing elsewhere

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