Resumen de Extending the use of Saramaccan in Suriname
In Suriname there exists considerable pressure to use Dutch, the socially prestigious language, for education and for written communication. Vernacular languages are interesting topics for research in linguistics or anthropology, but have been largely neglected for all practical purposes involving the native speakers. Speakers of minority languages continue to repress the use of their own languages in favour of the officially accepted national language.
I advocate the use of the vernacular language, not only as an important vehicle for learning but also as a means of enhancing the native speaker's feeling of self‐worth. I will present several practical ways of extending the use of the vernacular as well as problems I have encountered in doing so with Saramaccan.
This paper is based on research and experimentation conducted during twelve years (1968–1980) of working with the Saramaccan Maroons of Suriname. It also draws heavily on the experience and experiments of my colleagues of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, most of whom are daily involved in extending the use of the vernacular around the world.
