Frenand Léger

Office Hours: Monday 1:30pm-2:30pm, Wednesday 1:30pm-2:30pm & by appointment

Biography

Frenand Léger studied education sciences, linguistics, and literature. As an Instructor II in the Department of French, he primarily teaches and coordinate French language courses, as well as literature and second/foreign language teaching methods. He is also a founding member of the Haitian Creole Academy and a courtesy Professor of Haitian Studies at Florida International University.

His research in three major fields (literature, educational linguistics, and sociolinguistics) adopts an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach, focusing on the intersections of languages, cultures, ideologies, identities, and politics in Haiti and in other former colonies in the Caribbean. His work in literature mainly focuses on questions of language, identity, and orality in fictional stories in the French-speaking Caribbean area. His upcoming book on Francophone literature examines a body of fictional literary texts written by major Haitian novelists and short story writers from the nineteenth century to the present day. It aims to validate the influence of Haitian literature on Francophone writers of the global South, particularly on Caribbean and African writers.

He has also authored several scholarly articles on Haiti’s sociolinguistic situation and on Haitian literature. His articles and book chapters have appeared in journals and monographs published by prestigious international publishing houses such as Cambridge University Press, University of Toronto Press, University Press of Laval, University Press of Florida, etc. He has written Pawòl Lakay, the most comprehensive and up-to-date higher education textbook for the teaching and learning of the Haitian-Creole language and culture. He has also been working on the creation of a series of higher education advanced French language textbooks that follow the action-oriented approach of the Council of Europe.

Research Interests

• Creolistics and Haitian studies
• Theory of short story (Théorie de la nouvelle littéraire)
• Theory of the lodyans(a distinctive type of narrative genre originated from Haiti)
• Interactions between Creole orality and French writing in Haitian francophone novels and short stories from 19th-century to the present day (Ignace Nau, Justin Lherisson, Ida Faubert, Gary Victor, Jacques Stephen Alexis, and Dany Laferrière)
• Postcolonial literary theory.
• French and Haitian Creole teaching methodology; working on the creation of a series of advanced Kreyòl and French textbooks (A1, A2, B1, B2) that follow the perspective actionnelle of the CEFRL.

2024-2025 Courses taught

• FREN 2100C
• FREN 2110A
• FREN 3900A (Winter)

Books:

• Léger, F. Histoire, esthétique et théorie de la fiction brève de tradition haïtienne : De la nouvelle et du lodyans littéraire (Forthcoming).
• Ignace Nau. Le bal masqué et autres nouvelles. Edited, introduced and annotated by Frenand Léger, Port-au-Prince, Legs Edition, 2021,211 p.
• Ignace Nau. Le lambi et autres nouvelles. Introduced and annotated by Frenand Léger, Port-au-Prince, Legs Edition, 2014, 114 p.
• Haitian Creole-English Bilingual Dictionary. Project director, Albert Valdman. Indiana University Creole Institute: Bloomington, Indiana, pp. 781 (Editorial assistant).

Textbooks:

• Léger, F. Pawòl Lakay: Haitian-Creole Language and Culture for Beginners and Intermediate Learners (Second edition). Coconut Creek, Florida: Educa Vision Press, 475 p.
• Léger, F. et al. La francophonie en action: a series of 4 French language textbooks from beginner to advanced, Canadian Scholars Press (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. et al. Mizik lakay: Upper intermediate Haitian-Creole Language and Culture through popular song lyrics (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. et al. Literati lakay: Advanced Haitian-Creole Language and Culture through literary texts (Forthcoming).

Recent publications:

Selected peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters:

• Léger, F. « Réflexions sur les causes du sous-développement de la littérature créolophone d’Haïti » in Marlene L. Daut and Kaiama L. Glover (eds.), A Cambridge History of Haitian Literature, Cambridge University Press (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. « The sociolinguistic situation of Haitian Creole in The Bahamas: status, usage, perception, and education » in Charmane M. Perry and Ermitte Saint Jacques (eds.), Navigating Nation, Anchoring Identities: Diaspora, Citizenship, and Belonging in The Bahamas, an edited volume to New World Diaspora series edited by Kevin Yelvington, University Press of Florida (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. « Le statut d’Haïti dans la francophonie-monde: Paradoxe, mythe et réalité », in Léger T., Ngafomo L. H., et Panaite O. (eds.), Champs Littéraires et langues de la francophonie-monde, (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. « Brouillage des frontières discursives dans Romancero aux étoiles de Jacques Stephen Alexis » in the International Conference Proceedings « Revisiter l’œuvre et la pensée de Jacques Stephen Alexis », École Normale Supérieure State University of Haiti, held in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, April 21-22, 2022 (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. « Analiz fòmèl lodyans Maurice Sixto Lea Kokoye ak J’ai vengé la race ».Pawòl kreyòl, Revi literè Sosyete Koukouy, Montreal, (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. « Wòl Akademi Kreyòl Ayisyen an nan devlopman syantifik lang kreyòl la: bilan ak pèspektiv », in Govain R. (eds.), Langues créoles: description, analyse didactisation et automatisation, Presses universitaires de la Méditerranée, Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier, 2021.
• Léger, F. « Réflexions sur la situation linguistique en Haïti : entre propagande et discours scientifique» in Reinke Kristin (eds.), Attribuer un sens. La diversité des pratiques langagières et les représentations sociales, de la CEFAN, Presses de l’Université Laval, Collection : Culture française d’Amérique, 2020.
• Léger, F. « Le rôle de l’oralité kreyòl dans les deux lodyans de Justin Lhérisson », in Manuel Meune, Katrin Mutz et Charlotte Schallié (éd.) Stratégies d’écriture en Suisse et aux Antilles : de la diglossie affichée aux traces de langue, numéro spécial de la Revue transatlantique d’études suisses, University of Montreal, No. 8/9, 2018/19, pp. 191-208.
• Léger, F. « Le traitement du kreyòldans les trois premiers romans de Gary Victor ». Revue Legs et littératures, Port-au-Prince, No. 9, pp. 33-52.
• Léger, F. « Yon koze sou sa yo rele woman nan literati franse ».Pawòl kreyòl, Revi literè Sosyete Koukouy, Montreal, Vol. 4, 2015, pp. 71-112.
• Léger, F. « Fè pwomosyon ekri nan lang kreyòl ayisyen an: poukisa epi kouman? ». In Govain R. (eds.), Akademi Kreyòl Ayisyen : Ki pwoblèm, Ki avantaj, Ki defi, Ki avni? Port-au-Prince: State University Press of Haiti, pp. 213-230.
• Léger, F. « Wòl lang kreyòl la nan pwosesis (re)konstriksyon Ayiti a ».Pawòl kreyòl, Revi literè Sosyete Koukouy, Montreal, Vol. 3, 2013, pp. 191-205.
• Léger, F. Le créole haïtien aux Bahamas: image, fonctions, statut et enseignement.Journal of Haitian Studies, UC Santa Barbara, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 74-90.
• Léger, F. Armbrister, A. P. Factors affecting the teaching and learning of Haitian Creole in The Bahamas.The College of The Bahamas Research Journal, Vol. 15, pp. 22-35.

Selected book reviews in peer-reviewed journals:

• Léger, F. « Rétrospective sur le site Île-en-île ». Archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis, New York: Digital Scholarship at Columbia University, Issue 6, May 2022.
• Léger, F. « Chamoiseau: Nomadismes et intranquillité. » Présence Francophone, Revue internationale de langue et de littérature, no. 81, Lettres canadiennes, University of Toronto Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 3, 416-419.
• Léger, F. Hibbert, Fernand.Romulus: A Novella from 19th Century Haiti. trad. Into English by Robertshaw Matthew, Québec: Deux Voiliers Publishing. Journal of Haitian Studies, UC Santa Barbara, Vol. 20, No. 1, 120-125.
• Léger, F. Haïti, je t’aime! Ayiti, mwen renmen ou!, s. la dir. de Lysette Brochu, Jean Malavoy et Claire-Marie Bannier, Lettres canadiennes, University of Toronto Quarterly, Vol. 82, No. 3, 808-812.

Encyclopedia articles

• Léger, F. « La nouvelle littéraire en Haïti ». Dictionnaire encyclopédique d’Haïti. Ed. Guy Maximilien and Jacky Lumarque, Centre d’Études et de Culture Haïtienne, 13 pages (Forthcoming).
• Léger, F. « L’histoire de la presse en Haïti ». Dictionnaire encyclopédique d’Haïti. Ed. Guy Maximilien and Jacky Lumarque, Centre d’Études et de Culture Haïtienne, 23 pages (Forthcoming).

Articles in major national newspapers and specialized websites

• Léger, F. Dossier Thomas Madiou. In Littérature haïtienne @ Siteweb Île-en-île, december 2020.
• Léger, F. Dossier Maurice Sixto. In Littérature haïtienne @ Siteweb Île-en-île, avril 2015.
• Léger, F. « L’œuvre de Maurice Sixto, un patrimoine à sauvegarder et à étudier » In AlterPresse, May 25, 2015.
• Léger, F. Ki lang yo dwe mete bò kote angle nan CARICOM : franse oswa kreyòl? In Jounal Bon Nouvèl, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, No. 503, 12-13, March 2013.
• Léger, F. Quelle langue intégrer aux côtés de l’anglais dans la CARICOM : le français ou le créole ? In Le Nouvelliste, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 20 2013, 26-29.
• Léger, F. « Promouvoir les langues créoles : pourquoi et comment ? » In Potomitan, november 2013.
• Léger, F. Dossier Philippe Thoby-Marcelin. In Littérature haïtienne @ Siteweb Île-en-île, september, 2013.
• Léger, F. Dossier Auguste Ignace Nau. In Littérature haïtienne @ Siteweb Île-en-île, december 2013.
• Léger, F. Haïti-Bahamas : Coup d’œil sur l’immigration haïtienne dans cet archipel des Caraïbes. In AlterPresse, June 6, 2012.
• Léger, F. Création de l’Académie du créole haïtien : futilité ou utilité sociale ? In AlterPresse, October 29, 2011.

Scholarships/Grants :

• 2015: University of Toronto Doctoral Completion Award ($10,000)
• 2013-2015:Research Travel Grant from the University of Toronto ($4,000)
• 2015-2016:Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and universities, Canada ($15,000 annually for 1 year)
• 2012-2014:Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canada ($40,000)
• 2011-2012:Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and universities, Canada ($15,000 annually for 1 year)
• 2010-2014: University of Toronto Fellowship ($23,500 annually for 4 years)
• 2008-2010:Money grant of $8,000 by the Office of Research, Graduate Programmes & International Relations at The College of The Bahamas for the period of 2008-2010 to design a set of teaching and learning materials (textbook and audio CDs) for Haitian Creole courses at the college level.

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