Title: The Danger of False Etymology in Haitian Creole

Title: The Danger of False Etymology in Haitian CreoleAuthor: Patrice Kanndèl EdouardThis article investigates the proliferation of false etymologies in Haitian Creole and the risks they pose to linguistic understanding and cultural heritage. It focuses on how unverified assumptions, oral tradition, and even academic plagiarism contribute to the spread of erroneous explanations about word origins in the language.Using three major examples — “Kolangèt manman w” (a vulgar insult), “marasa” (twins), and “zuzu” (a term denoting refined behavior or pretentiousness) — the article demonstrates how widely circulated origin stories often rely on fabricated French phrases, emotional narratives, or online speculation rather than rigorous etymological research.The author argues that such false etymologies not only distort the linguistic history of Haitian Creole but also feed into a broader ideology known as Creole Exceptionalism, which portrays the language as a flawed derivative of French rather than a legitimate language system shaped by multiple linguistic and cultural sources, including African languages and local innovation.The article calls for greater academic responsibility, methodological rigor, and historical verification in studies of Haitian Creole vocabulary. It emphasizes the need to combat pseudo-etymologies that undermine the dignity and complexity of the language.