a1625: Re: a1622: Corbett responds to Dorce on spelling of the name...on of Haiti's religion

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

On Wed, 10 Apr 2002 LAKAT47@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 04/10/2002 12:31:24 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> corbetre@webster.edu writes:
>
> << I would serious challenge that. Better know by whom? The mass of English
>  speakers, and especially the primary audience of this book will most
>  likely be seeing the spelling Vodou for the first time in their lives. If
>  they know of the religion at all they will know of it as Voodoo the
>  spelling of the religion of Haiti in all but specialist literature.  >>
> ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
> Then they will learn.  There is one way to spell Vodou to make it legitimate
> and distinguish it from the travesty Hollywood has made of this real life,
> viable and vital religion.
> ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kathy, I think there is very little historical evidence to guarantee
that people will choose to use language the way someone dictates.
Languages are living entities without legislators, only describers.  They
are what they are.  My claim was not a "should" or "ought" claim, it was
a claim that challenged Charles' claim that his spelling was "recognized"
by all.  Nothing more.


> <<[Fascinating little point. While I was proof reading these comments and
> ran a spell check on it, my Microsoft Word program singled out Vodou and
> recommended that I meant to write Voodoo!!]<<
> ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
> This is not exactly a ringing endorsement for accepting the distorted version
> of the spelling of Voodoo.......they never got that from Haiti.

That that spelling is "distorted" doesn't mean much to me.  AGain, you
seem to come from a view that language usage can be dictated by whim or
wish.  I just don't think the evidence of historical linguistic usage
supports that.  There are certainly instances of the success of such
campaigns and also instances of the failure.


 (by the way,
> it is in my spell check dictionary because I added it!) To me, it's a matter
> of respect.  If New Orleans practitioners want to spell it Voodoo, that is
> their right.  But Haitian Vodou is Vodou.  It's just that simple.

I don't see anything simple about it.  You are certainly correct that if
New Orleans practitioners want to spell the word that way they may.  If
you and others wish to spell it differently, you may spell it anyway you
wish.  Yes.  But what will be the STANDARD usage in English will not
be determined by anyone's dictate, that will be a fact that linguists
will know by recording the English language as it is used. That's the
way languages are.



  I believe
> it is better to teach people the proper way to address a religion than to let
> them continue thinking of it in comic, derogatory terms.....voodoo
> politics......voodoo accounting......dead, bloody chickens on
> doorsteps.....dolls with pins causing excruciating pain wherever the pin
> pierces the doll.

I am in agreement with your position that the image of the Haitian
religion is distorted from the practice of it.  What I don't accept is
that changing the spelling is some great panacea for changing the image.
It might help, it might not, that's a matter for history.  WE can't
guanantee it ahead of time.  I prefer to attack the concepts, not the
spelling.  That tactic may fail too.  One can't fully control the future
or people's attitudes.  The issue is more on which strategies to use
to try to achieve such ends.



 There is a difference between voodoo and Vodou.

I'm in agreement here on GRAMMATICAL grounds.  voodoo with a small "v" is
not the name of the religion.  Religions are proper nouns.  Unlike you,
I don't find one iota of difference for my understanding in the word
Voodoo and Vodou.  I do worry that when I write for people used to
standard English they will have no idea in the world what I mean by
Vodou.

 Let us
> all teach the rest.  Haiti has been much maligned, we can help in that small
> way to tell her story and show people her dignity and spirit.  Thank you
> Charles Arthur for your respect in this  and other matters regarding Haiti
> Cherie.
>
If the strategy works to improve the image of the religion, then more
power to it.  I am very skeptical and simply prefer other tactics of
teaching.

Bob Corbett


> Kathy Dorce~
>