my world
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Lost in Paradise
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This is where I do my fieldwork. I had no knowledge of the islands, no contacts, no nothing when I came the first time. Now part of me is for ever left there, with the beauty and splendor. |
I was even taken for a local girl - the greatest compliment of all!
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The westernmost state of America, not even located in America... The Hawaiian flag under the USA one; hung up side down by the various sovereignty movements. |
I personally get very emotional about the USA behaviour. |
I study Hawai'i Creole English (HCE), or Pidgin, as it is called by the speakers. Pidgin is spoken by roughly half of the population, throughout the islands, and by another 100,000 or so on the US mainland. It is a langauge in its own right, with a very sofisticated grammar. Due to a ruling colonial attitude, Pidgin is quite stigmatized in general. |
Believe it or not, but Americans are offended by alternative Englishes. As if they speak the language of the Mayflower travellers... |
Fieldwork in Paradise
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About half of the time I scoot around an island for informants who will let me record them talking story. |
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After an interview session I go trough the material, digitalize it, and transcribe it. Transcribing takes ages. The whole procedure takes eons. |
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I go from island to island. |
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If it hadn't been for my fieldwork trips I wouldn't have met Uncle Boy! The Hawaiian Superman. |
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