This is probably the most well known Jamaican greeting and was even used by US President Barack Obama during his inaugural visit to Jamaica. Wah Gwaan is a casual greeting to enquire how somebody is or what’s up.
The Jamaican language is largely a derivative of Spanish, English and African influences on the country through its colonial history.
John-crow is a Jamaican bird, known commonly across North America as the turkey buzzard. The expression yuh waan flap a wing, no doubt familiar to dancehall aficionados, is a term used to ask a girl to dance.
Although the official language of Jamaica is English, many Jamaicans speak Patois in casual everyday conversation. Here are 15 Jamaican Patois phrases to know and use on your next visit to Jamaica.
This Jamaican expression means literally: I’ll be right there. However if you’re told mi soon come, don’t be fooled. Island time is much slower than the rest of the world and this expression should be interpreted as meaning anything from a few hours to a few days.
Used when saying goodbye. The literal translation would be ‘In the tomorrows’, meaning ‘see you later ’.
While the literal translation is ‘I am here’, the implied meaning is ‘everything is ok’, or ‘I’m doing well’ .
In the satirical essay, “On Seeing England for the First Time” (1991), Jamaica Kincaid, an essayist and novelist, describes her spiteful attitude towards Britain by displaying the effects of colonialism on her island and family. She illuminates the effects colonialism by using sarcastic language to distinguish between ...
Kincaid’s ridicule of her mother’s religious adherence to British manners develops her feelings of disgust and desire to incite rebellion. Kincaid utilizes metaphors and allusions to attack Britain’s vile effects of colonialism on not only her people, but anyone who has been under colonialism.
Kincaid’s usage of Sarcastic language, metaphors and allusions, and caricature in her essay to convey her disdain at Britain’s horrible actions towards her country, Antigua, and all of the other countries, including America, that have faced the iron grip of the “Special Jewel.” In the end, the world must move past colonialism and work with everyone equally while embracing everyone’s culture and practices.
In the 1960s, around the time Jamaicans were negotiating their independence from England, the local dialect was frowned upon by the upper classes as the language of the poor and uneducated folk. On the other end of the spectrum, reggae musicians used the language to express their identity, and songs filled with descriptions of poverty and political strife were mainstream at the time.
Jamaican Patois. Our local dialect, Jamaican Patois, is a colorful and energetic sing-song language that constantly evolves. Some refer to our native tongue as broken English, heavily influenced by our African, Spanish, French, and English colonial heritage.
Anancy (Anansi): The principal character in many Jamaican folk tales, Anancy, a spider, is shrewd and cunning. The name is now generally used for a spider. Bammy: Flat round ‘pancake-looking’ bread made from grated cassava from which the bitter juice has been extracted. Bankra: Basket made from straw or wicker.
Today, speaking the language is a form of pride as it is easily recognized worldwide. This is thanks in part to the rise in popularity of our reggae music with legends like Bob Marley and later Shaggy taking our music to all corners of the world.
That means little things like saying please and thank you, greeting people when you meet them, and understanding boundaries in a home.
A pretty dunce is the Jamaican equivalent of a dumb blonde. She’s very attractive, but doesn’t know the difference between there and dear, and can’t find Germany on a map.
Butu/Butucrat. A butu is someone who lacks broughtupsy, and is stereotypically either from the ghetto or the countryside . According to Jamaican Patwah, a butu is: A person who has little or no social graces or manners. Being a butu is completely independent of your social class.
Maa-ma Man is often used to describe a man who deliberately refuses to take care of his responsibilities, due to laziness and lack of ambition. Below is another common meaning supplied by a fellow Jamaican.
Though winjy is falling out of use to describe petite body types, mawga is eternal. It comes from the word meagre, and is not a compliment. It is only used to refer to living things, and ranges from mawga dog to mawga gyal.
If you think the nouns were colourful, the adjectives we come up with as Jamaicans could outdo a rainbow. Since many of our adjectives also double as nouns, you will find several more under the hybrid heading in this article.
This literally translates to “Do you see me?” Its more accurate meaning is, “Do you understand me?” It’s not a literal question, or a question at all for that matter. Men especially use it to punctuate long monologues with their friends, or to prompt some feedback from them in the affirmative.
Believe me, when Jamaica says Out of Many – One People, boy do we mean it! Jamaican culture is also strongly influenced by the English, the Irish, South Asians, East Asians, and the Spanish. This is primarily due to our historical ties to these countries, and how their language, dress, and cuisine have created the melting pot ...
Jamaican culture is also strongly influenced by the English, the Irish, South Asians, East Asians, and the Spanish. This is primarily due to our historical ties to these countries, and how their language, dress, and cuisine have created the melting pot of Jamaican culture today. In Jamaica, whether you’re Black, Asian, or White, ...
We also have the Africans to thank for the fact that Jamaicans eat things like oxtail, cow foot, chicken foot, and goat head soup. Why? Because for a long time, they were the poorest class in society, and when you get your protein, you want to ensure every last bit of him makes it to the dinner table!
Business & Commerce. Many of the Irish in modern-day Jamaica work with Digicel, an Irish-owned communications company , and the most popular on the island. The other, FLOW, is owned by the English. Needless to say, they hate each other….
In fact, of all the European influences on Jamaica, I rank the Irish as the highest. A lot of the words we use in Creole and the way we pronounce English ones – the Irish do the same.
It’s the Queen of England: Queen Elizabeth II. Jamaica gained its independence on August 6, 1962, mostly with peaceful application of pen to paper, but Britain is still the political motherland. In fact, until around 2003, we didn’t even need visas to go to Britain.
Of course, the different ethnic groups in Jamaica are more heavily influenced by the practices associated with their ethnicity. But best believe, every cultural characteristic mentioned above is a part of regular Jamaican life for everyone.
Through the use of diction Jamaica Kincaid shows her feelings of wonder toward England. She uses the word “adoration” to illustrate how she admires and adores England.
Jamaica uses the word “greatness” to show that she considers England most important. “Gently” is used to show that England has no harshness or violence. Jamaica Kincaid calls England “meaningful.”. She feels that it is significant and of importance to her. Kincaid proves her admiration for England through diction.
England is like a diamond in the rough to young Jamaica Kincaid. When she thinks about England, she sees a great place and it’s unlike anything she’s ever seen before. In the essay “On Seeing England for the First Time,” Jamaica Kincaid uses imagery, diction, and repetition to show her feelings of awe. In the essay “On Seeing England ...
Kincaid also expresses her awe toward England by calling “its yellow form mysterious.”. This signifies that England is mysterious to her, as if it holds some special secret.
This is an expression of her admiration because even though eating a big meal so early in the morning is strange to her, she does it because she wants to imitate England.
Kincaid proves her admiration for England through diction. Throughout the Kincaid passage the phrase England is constantly repeated. Kincaid shows her admiration for England when she says “the people who got to wear England were English people.”. Kincaid considers the people of England remarkable and they leave a lasting impression on her.
Annotated bibliography on “Girl” by Jamaica KincaidPages: 3 (883 words)