Pierre Vernet

Pierre Vernet (21 March 1943 – 12 January 2010) was a Haitian linguist and lexicographer, who created the Center for Applied Linguistics in Port-au-Prince. He was instrumental in standardizing Haitian Creole (Krèyol) spelling as an aid to literacy, and the elaboration of French-Krèyol lexicons of terminology. He also published dictionaries with Alain Bentolila and with Bryant Freeman.

Vernet went to high school at Petit Séminaire Collège Saint-Martial before beginning studies at Paris Descartes University, where he would eventually earn his doctorate.

On 12 January 2010, Vernet died in the 2010 Haitian earthquake on 12 January 2010, while serving as the dean of the Applied Linguistics department of the Université d'État d'Haïti.