UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN

MARACAS ROYAL ROAD, MARACAS, ST JOSEPH.

Module: The Creole Language

An Assignment
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
LING400: Introduction to Creole Linguistics

INSTRUCTOR:
Ms. Leiba Ann-Ferreira

By

Shanice Diaz
April 1st 2023

Approval………………
The saying that Trinidad is proud nation stands true even to this day. The population of Trinidad

and Tobago is diverse, consisting of individuals of African, European, Indian, and Chinese

ancestry. As a result, it has become a culture with hot cuisine, a wide range of religious practices,

vibrant celebrations, funky music, and inventive and creative individuals. As a nation that was

brought together by the fusion of different cultures, Trinidadians take pride in their food,

festivities, religious practices and beliefs and their language. The dialect or broken English in

which we speak is widely used throughout the nation. To most locals it is part of our culture and

represents the history of Trinidad, meanwhile, to others, it is a language barrier to be rectified.

To foreigners, our dialect is mostly incomprehensible, as such businesses and educational

institutions strive to correct and discourage the use of our dialect when in the workplace or

school. The intention behind this is to create a balance or switch, where one can communicate

with non-native and local speakers effectively. However, the minority of Trinidadians cling to

the idea of “when in Trinidad, do as the Trinis.” Essentially meaning that foreigners would

simply have to adapt and learn our language when visiting.

One aspect of Trinidadian culture most famous in the world today is the festivity known as

Carnival. A tradition kept annually which represents the liberation of our nation. Many locals

and foreigners travel from all over to participate in this festival. However many complain that the

true meaning behind it has become tainted and is no longer what it once was. They argue that

such a change to tradition can hardly be seen as a part of Trinidadian culture. Despite this, it is

still celebrated and known as one of the best Carnival’s in the world.