World Mother Language Day

The Collectivité of Saint-Martin will celebrate the mother tongue of Saint-Martin, as part of the UN's World Mother Language Day, Wednesday February 21.

A cultural program carried by our elected officials and the management of Cultural Action is offered to the public, on local radios and the Collectivité's social networks. Also note the presence of Christophe Henocq on the 3 radio broadcasts, having carried out work on the local language.

A quiz accessible by QR Code allows the public to play with expressions of Saint-Martin English and win prizes.

Each year, the language of birth is honored as part of International Mother Language Day, on February 21.

The Collectivité of Saint-Martin and its Department of Cultural Affairs (DAC) are taking this opportunity to promote Saint-Martin English through interviews and activities allowing people to practice the language of Saint-Martin and create links around the richness and originality of the “Saint-Martin dialect”.

The program developed by the Collectivité, this February 21, 2024, consists of offering you a radio program with guests, entitled “The importance of preserving the mother tongue”, to talk about the language and discuss its origin and its cultural specificities.

A sidewalk microphone, an animated video and the interview with Mr. Alexis Standford entitled “Language is at the root of Saint-Martin cultural identity”, will allow you to discover the specificities and history of the local mother tongue.

Finally, a quiz will be broadcast on the Collectivité 's social networks to test the public's knowledge of the local language. This involves highlighting “S’matin English” and encouraging native Saint-Martin residents and all other communities to use the local language as much as possible during this day, by highlighting oral traditions.

The language of Saint-Martin is an oral heritage that must be cultivated and transmitted to younger generations. It is the pillar of the culture and identity of Saint-Martin, of the centuries-old heritage of the island and of the heritage which has been transmitted to us by our ancestors throughout the history and evolution of the Friendly island.

The Collectivité of Saint-Martin invites you to follow the programs for International Mother Language Day, Wednesday February 21, and to test your knowledge by participating in the quiz which will be broadcast the same day.

10 prizes will be awarded to the best among you! Wednesday February 21, let's play together!

1. BROADCAST - INTERNATIONAL MOTHER TONGUE DAY: Wednesday February 21, 2024:

• 9:00 a.m.: Radio Saint-Martin 101.5fm - Léonard Mussington • 10:00 a.m.: SOS Radio 95.9fm – Serge Gumbs

• 2:00 p.m.: Youth Radio 92.5fm – Alexis Standford

2. EVENTS ON COM SOCIAL NETWORKS: Wednesday February 21, 2024:

• Interview Alexis Stanford “Language is at the root of Saint-Martin’s religious identity”

• “Let’s speak our language” sidewalk microphone

• Animated video on Saint-Martin English