Lexicon of Cape Verdean Creole: A Legacy Overlooked
Armando Napoleão Fernandes dedicated his life to compiling the "Lexicon of the Archipelago of Cape Verdean Creole," a monumental work containing over five thousand words gathered from the islands of Santo Antão to Brava. Despite its significance, the lexicon remains largely unknown, with its first edition of 500 copies, published in 1991, quickly selling out. A second edition has yet to materialize, raising questions about the work's relevance and accessibility.
The book faced considerable delays. Initially, political circumstances in the 1950s and 1960s prevented its publication. After Fernandes' death, the manuscript was passed through several hands before being entrusted to the Directorate-General of Culture in 1976. It was returned in 1982, and the author's grandson took possession of the two-volume manuscript, recognizing its immense value. The lexicon was finally published in April 1991, but has been out of print for 35 years, leaving enthusiasts awaiting a new edition.
Fernandes' approach to the lexicon involved using an etymological base derived from Portuguese, maintaining the Portuguese alphabet while establishing simple rules for Cape Verdean Creole sounds not present in Portuguese. This orthographic system, however, differs from the currently adopted alphabet for Creole, which is designed for languages without a prior written tradition. Linguists estimate that only about seventy to one hundred words in Cape Verdean Creole have African origins, with the vast majority stemming from Portuguese. The author's etymological writing system, finalized in the 1940s or 1950s, is believed to be the reason for the lexicon's marginalization, despite its indirect use in studies and its value as a historical record of Cape Verdean culture from the early to mid-20th century.
The delayed and limited publication of Armando Napoleão Fernandes' lexicon highlights a recurring tension in linguistic preservation: the conflict between etymological roots and evolving standardization. While Fernandes' system sought to anchor Creole to its Portuguese origins, the current orthography, designed for languages without prior alphabets, presents a divergence. This divergence may have contributed to the lexicon's marginalization, suggesting that standardization efforts, while aiming for inclusivity, can inadvertently create barriers to established scholarship. The situation prompts reflection on how linguistic heritage is best preserved and disseminated, balancing historical accuracy with contemporary usability and the potential for wider adoption. The ongoing debate over orthography underscores the challenge of achieving consensus in linguistic communities, impacting cultural memory and academic accessibility for future generations.
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