About the Author

Frankie Bow writes two mystery series: The Professor Molly mysteries and licensed novellas in Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune universe. Writing as Patience Fairweather, she is also the author of No, You Can’t be an Astronaut, a realistic career guide.

Like Professor Molly, Frankie works in higher education. Unlike her protagonist, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and an adequate office chair. Follow Frankie at frankiebow.com.

Readers ask:

Do professors really talk like that?

In the Professor Molly series, Molly’s best friend Emma Nakamura sometimes speaks Pidgin. Pidgin (AKA Hawaii Creole English or HCE) can be understood by speakers of English, but HCE is its own language. It emerged in Hawaii on the sugar plantations. While based in English it contains elements of Hawaiian and languages spoken by immigrant plantation workers including Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Korean. Speaking Pidgin is not a sign of being “uneducated.” People raised in Hawaii will code-switch, and deploy either Standard American English or HCE depending on the occasion. Pidgin-speaking college professors with Ivy League degrees (like Emma) really do exist.

Is Pidgin the same as Hawaiian?

No. Hawaiian (or ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi ) is one of the two official languages of the state of Hawaiʻi . It is the language that was spoken in the islands before European contact. Pidgin is an English-based creole and unlike Hawaiian, it is more or less understood by speakers of English.

Where can I find out more about Pidgin?

Read this: Romaine, S. (1999). Changing Attitudes to Hawai’i Creole English Fo’find one good job, you gotta know how fo’talk like one haole. Creole genesis, attitudes and discourse: Studies celebrating Charlene J. Sato20, 287.
Watch this:
http://youtu.be/7zyplVPJuF4

Is Mahina State University real?

No. It is entirely fictional, and nothing at all like my actual employer.

How about the Pair-O-Dice Bar & Grille? Or the Maritime Club? Or Donnie’s Drive-Inn? Or the old Territorial Inebriates’ Asylum?

Those may have been inspired by actual places.

Can I ask a question?

Sure. Fill in the form below. Be nice. Don’t be mean.

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