by admin on August 23, 2011
The word some Jamaicans use to refer to Jamaicans (when speaking about nationality) are as follows:
Jamaican (of course! this one is obvious)
Jamaicans (plural)
yaadie (singular / plural) – word used by some Jamaicans to refer to themselves, another Jamaican or other Jamaicans. It can be used in the plural or the singular.
yaadie dem …. (plural) – used to refer to more than one Jamaican and “yaadie dem” should be used in a sentence. It will sound strange if someone just says “yaadie dem” and nothing else because it is used in sentences.
by admin on August 23, 2011
The Jamaican language or rather the official language in Jamaica is Standard English. But, Jamaicans also speak Patois which is a dialect. Some people spell the word “Patois” as “Patwa.”
Here are some Jamaican Patois words and phrases:
tan suh bak – laid back / relaxed
ketch e – catch it
Example: ketch e ball nuh – catch the ball, why don’t you. In this example there is no exact translation for “nuh” and it’s used to show insistence or being irritated. Speaking of which, “nuh” can also have different meanings. The word “nuh” can be used to negate a sentence. And some examples would be: “mi nuh kno” which means “I don’t know.”
Using “nuh” to show impatience or irritation. Examples include:
gwaan nuh! – go on! (nuh shows irritation or impatience depending on the context)
wait fi mi nuh! – wait for me! (again “nuh” can show impatience or irritation depending on the context)
Using “nuh” to negate a sentence. Examples include:
eem nuh si e – he does not see it
shi nuh guh deh – she does not go there
nuh duh dat! – don’t do that!