I've been thinking a lot about the islands these days and I don't know why exactly. My frequent flyer mileage is just to the point of letting me have another partially free vaca out on some sunny Caribbean beach, but which one and when? I won't be making any decisions today, but I know this much - I want to go to an island where the national language is not English and I'll be looking to spend two weeks at the very least. And just because I'm picking Haiti to bring you the word of the day, don't think I'm marking it high on my list, but the other country sharing the same island space with a different lang is looking rather appealing. Until then I'll keep on dreaming.

Today's word is Kreyòl (Haitian creole) word used in Haiti:

Voryen (n) - Vagabond (could also be used in Haiti as vakabon)

This Kreyol website features comprehensive cultural and travel info on Haiti. Their overall goal is to spread positive messages about the country and create positive images. Their online Kreyòl dictionary is one of the best! iCreole is a good place translation tool if you wish to know a word within seconds. For a fun look at some popular proverbs check out this Discover Haiti site. Make note that the Creole used in the proverbs is not that of the Creole spoken in Port-au-Prince. Lastly, leave it to good old Pimsleur to have audio books dedicated to learning Creole. Expensive, but you can also look for them in your local library.

Past Kreyòl words: evite, il/zile

Filed under: Learning, North America, Haiti, Foreign Language