Applied Learning HCE Style
Written By Asia Howe
“When the English language gets in my way, I walk over it.” — Billy Sunday
For those unfamiliar with the science of language, the concept of linguistics can incite a multitude of questions in an individual. “What is there to study in a language?”, for example, might come to mind. Pose such a question to University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) seniors and Linguistics majors Ronald Santos and Gabriel Tebow, and they will most likely reply, “A lot.” Under the guidance of Dr. Scott Saft, the young linguists are currently completing Linguistics 399v, an applied linguistics directed study.
“We are researching the use of Hawaiian Creole English (HCE) or Pidgin,” Tebow asserts, “in official political or public speeches and forums. This has been a two-semester directed study. [In] the first semester, [fall 2014,] we prepared data and presented our preliminary findings at the [Office of Applied Learning Experiences] (ALEX) Student Research Conference. [Now,] we are preparing and compiling our data and findings into a paper that we are going to submit to … journals at the end of the semester. Our hope is to be published.”
UHH senior and Linguistics major, Gabriel Tebow. Photo courtesy of Asia Howe.
The two students have decided to specifically focus on the HCE use of Hawaii Island mayor, Billy Kenoi. Born and raised in Hawaii, the mayor attended Waiakea High School, Hawaii Community College (HCC), UHH, and the William Richardson School of Law (“Educated.”). He is quite well known for his use of HCE, an example of which may be found blow and at a link here.
Example of Hawaii Creole English used by Hawaii County Mayor, Billy Kenoi. Video found on youtube at, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a075PK7MJ_g&app=desktop.
When asked how they apply what they have learned in previous linguistics classes to this particular course, Santos responds, “I apply things I’ve learned from my discourse analysis class to infer why he [Kenoi] uses Pidgin in given situations.” Tebow adds, “We use the practical knowledge we have gained from our classes and professors to critically analyze data that we have obtained to come to a hypothesis. We will then present [our] findings in a paper, like we have done in many of the linguistics classes we have taken at UHH.”
Regarding the influence which the directed study has had on their futures, Tebow states, “This study has shown me that I may want to do research as a speech language pathologist. In this profession, I can research and publish papers on [the] first language acquisition of children or case studies of interesting speech disorders.” Santos, who hopes to teach English in his native country, the Philippines, admits the class has not had any specific influence on his future, but has definitely broadened his horizons.
UHH senior and Linguistics major, Ronald Santos. Photo Courtesy of Ronald Santos.
“I feel that to make Hawaii a better place, we need to use education,” Santos explains after being asked for his opinion on the use of applied learning alongside Hawaii-specific topics, such as the Hawaii Island mayor’s HCE. “Applied learning is the way to go, because not only [can] you gain knowledge, but you [can] also serve our islands.”
In reply to the same question, Tebow maintains, “I think there is not enough research being done on Hawaii-specific topics, especially HCE. This directed study has shown me that HCE is not only a valid language, but a complete language with its own grammatical rules and syntax. HCE speakers are able to articulate a point just as well as speakers of Standard English. I feel more people should research Hawaii[-related topics] to show the world what we have to offer.”
The current state of Santos and Tebow’s data. Photo courtesy of Gabriel Tebow.
Both seniors encourage other students to partake in a directed study. The benefit, as Santos sees it, of doing so is the chance to work one-on-one with an instructor and get work published. According to Tebow, the benefit of such a study is way it pushes an individual to apply all which he/she has learned from previous courses, and the confidence it inspires in an individual.
Students interested in doing a directed study should talk to the advisor assigned to them from the department(s) of their major(s). Students who would like more information on their major or other majors may check out this link.
Additional Information: “Educated.” BillyKenoi.com. Friends of Billy Kenoi, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2015.
