PHILIPSBURG :--- Saban native Theodore Johnson, author and civil law notary, shall be presenting his book “A Lee Chip: a dictionary & study of Saban English” on Wednesday June 1st, 2016 at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library from 6pm to 8pm, along with Ms. Caroline Myrick, a linguist of the North Carolina State University, with Saban roots, who contributed 2 chapters in the book on grammatical aspects of Saban English and its pronunciation.
The title of the book “A Lee Chip” refers to a little morsel of something on the island of Saba, St. Maarten’s Dutch Caribbean sister.
A book celebrating over 2500 local words and phrases that makes Saba unique; now a compilation of more than 16 years’ work by Theodore R. Johnson.
It includes a dictionary that marks the first comprehensive, historical record of the Saban vocabulary.
Providing a preservation of language as a written source of reference and also a time capsule for the history and traditional linguistic historical culture of Saba.
This book is hoped to be an inspiration for other islands, including St. Maarten, to preserve their local English dialects/creoles before it is too late.
Theodore R. Johnson is married and is the father of three children, was born on Saba January 1975.
He completed a double master’s degree in law in Leiden, the Netherlands. After working in the Netherlands in the civil law notary field,
he returned to the Caribbean and is currently residing and working on our sister island Aruba. This is his first book published.
The book launching ceremony and book signing will take place on June 1st, 2016, at the library at time 6pm sharp until 8 pm.
A Lee Chip: A Dictionary & Study of Saban English” book launching ceremony this Wednesday June 1st at the Library
