Whether writing in English, French or Creole, the correct spelling of the predominant religion in Haiti is Vodou, according to the official orthography of Haitian Creole language, said Terry Rey, chair of the religion department at Temple University. Derived from the term "Vodoun" in the language of the Fon of Benin in West Africa, and signifying a company or family of spirits, the correct pronunciation is VO-doo. Use of the term "voodoo" as a synonym for irrational behavior — "voodoo economics," for example — is considered offensive.