By Yannick Bosquet
Premie fwa ki mo ti zwenn avek Profeser Hookoomsing, mo ti ena 20 an, an lan 2000. Li ti premie Lecturer ki mo ti gagne dan lingwistik Franse. Mo rapel ankor so bann klas dan Lecture Theatre 1. Li ti enn dimounn ki ti ena enn gran prestans, bien distenge me anmemtan, li ti sinp ek fasil pou aborde. Mo rapel enn zour li ti partaz avek nou, so bann zelev, bann linvitasion ki li ti gagne pou enn pies teat. Sa ti inpresionn mwa. Non selman, li ti enn Lecturer ki ti pe transmet so konesans dan klas, me li ti osi partaz avek nou enn bout sa lemond intelektiel ek kiltirel ki li ti reprezante.
Plitar, kan mo finn koumans travay kouma enn lingwist dan Liniversite Moris, Profeser Hookoomsing ti deza pran so retret. Nou ti gagn lokazion zwenn detrwa fwa ankor, pou bann proze ouswa bann konferans. Mo ankor rapel dernie papie ki li prezante pou Kolok Etid Kreol dan Sesel an Oktob 2018. Mo panse samem dernie fwa mo ti zwenn li. Me parmi tou sa bann moman-la, ena enn ki pou touzour res bien spesial pou mwa: mo ti ena loner ek privilez gagn li kouma enn manb ziri pou soutenans mo tez Doktora, an 2015.
Vinesh Hookoomsing finn premie Profeser dan Sians Langaz dan Moris. Li enn ansien Pro-Vice-Chancellor Liniversite Moris, Dwayin Fakilte Sian Sosial & Humanities, Prezidan Akademi Kreol Morisien, ek enn kreolist renome ki finn zwe enn rol inportan dan deskripsion ek planifikasion Kreol Morisien. An 2023, li ti gagn dekorasion GOSK pou so kontribision dan devlopman Kreol Morisien.
Li finn kit nou yer, le 30 Septam 2026, Zourne Internasional Tradiksion. Enn dat sinbolik, pou enn dimounn ki finn konsakre so lavi ar langaz.
Mo bann panse ek mo kondoleans sinser al ver so fami ek so bann pros dan sa moman difisil la.
So travay, so konesans ek so kontribision bizin kontign viv atraver bann zenerasion ki pe vini.
Ziska ki nou rezwenn, Profeser Hookoomsing,
Avek tou mo respe ek rekonesans. Repoz anpe.
Yannick Bosquet
(Mo finn azout enn lalis bann piblikasion Prof. Hookoomsing apre)
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The first time I met with Professor Hookoomsing, I was 20, in 2000. He was the first lecturer I had in French linguistics. I clearly remember his classes in the Lecture Theatre 1. He was poised, distinguished and yet simple and very approachable. I remember once he shared invitations he had received for a play with his students. I was very impressed by this gesture. Not only was he sharing his knowledge in class, but also a little bit the world of the academic and cultural world which he, along with other lecturers, represented.
Later when I started working as a linguist at the UoM, he had already retired but we met a few times for some projects or conferences. I still remember the paper he presented for the International Creole Studies Conference in Seychelles in 2018. I guess that was the last time I saw him. Most importantly for me, I had the honor and privilege of having him as a jury member for my PhD defense in 2015.
Vinesh Hookoomsing has been the first Professor in Language Studies in Mauritius, a former Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, the President of the Akademi Kreol Morisien, a renowned creolist who has contributed to the language planning and description of Mauritian Creole. He was elevated to the rank of GOSK in 2023 for his contribution to the development of Kreol Morisien. His legacy as a linguist is immense, both for the advancement of Creole language and for Language Studies in Mauritius.
He passed yesterday, on 30 September, on the International Day of Translation, a symbolic date for a language specialist!
My sincere thoughts and condolences go to his family and relatives in this difficult time.
May his work be remembered and passed on to the younger generations.
Until we meet again, Prof. Hookoomsing.
Rest in peace.
Yannick Bosquet
Piblikasion/ Publications
Baker, P., & Hookoomsing, V. Y. (1987). Dictionnaire du créole mauricien / Morisyen–English–Français. L’Harmattan.
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (1985). “Perspectives sociolinguistiques du français à Maurice”. Journal of the Mauritius Institute of Education, (8).
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (1986). “Langues et identité ethnique : Les langues mauriciennes”. Journal of Mauritian Studies, vol. 1, no. 2 , 117-137.
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (1987). L’emploi de la langue créole dans le contexte multiculturel de l’île Maurice [Doctoral dissertation, Université Laval].
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (1997). “Pluralisme linguistique et développement : Quelques réflexions à partir du recensement de 1990.” In D. de Robillard & M. Hazaël-Massieux (Eds.), Contacts de langues, contacts de cultures, créoles (pp. 387–409). L’Harmattan.
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (2002). “Créolité, coolitude : Contextes et concepts”. In K. R. Issur & V. Y. Hookoomsing (Eds.), L’océan Indien dans les littératures francophones : Pays réels, pays rêvés, pays révélés (pp. 25–38). Karthala.
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (2004). Grafi Larmoni: A harmonized writing system for the Mauritian Creole language
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (2006). “Propos introductifs”. In R. Furlong & V. Ramharai (Eds.), Panorama de la littérature mauricienne. La production créolophone. Volume 1 : Des origines à l’indépendance. Collection TIMAM.
Hookoomsing, V. Y., Ludwig, R., & Schnepel, B. (Eds.). (2009). Multiple identities in action: Mauritius and some Antillean parallelisms. Peter Lang.
Hookoomsing, V. Y. (2017). Philip Baker and the making of Mauritian Creole. Études créoles, 35(1–2).
Issur, K. R., & Hookoomsing, V. Y. (Eds.). (2002). L’océan Indien dans les littératures francophones : Pays réels, pays rêvés, pays révélés. Karthala & Presses de l’Université de Maurice.
