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Fun Trivia: V : Varieties of English

Special Sub-Topic: Jamaican English Part Two


If a Jamaican was "kin teet", what would they be doing?

    Smiling. " Fram har man come fram farin a pure kin teet she deh pon." Translation, She has been smiling ever since her boyfriend returned from abroad.

That girl is too "laba-laba". What is her problem?
    She is too talkative.. The phrase can be heard in Shaggy's song "Mr. Boombastic".

In Jamaica, as in America, there are not a few "mampi" women walking around. "Mampi" must mean...?
    obese. You know that video that Shaggy is in with that British DJ? "Cho! Dat ooman, Angel, Shaggy fix him up wit is mampi, mampi!"

If a Jamaican invited you to a "nine night", where would you be going?
    A wake. "Nine night" is a wake (celebration) held on the ninth day after a person's passing. You can hear a story about this in the 1965 song, "Hard Man Fi Dead" by Prince Buster.

Someone described what you were wearing as "ol bruk", what did he mean?
    You were wearing second hand clothing.. As in, " Mi nuh wear ol'bruk". I don't wear used clothing.

Many Jamaican young men love to "palaav". What does it mean?
    Show off. A word used often in reggae songs. Example sentence, "Im a palaav inna im new cyaar" He is showing off in his new car.

What are "red yeye" (red eye) people?
    Covetous people. A similar expression is "shine yeye" as in the song "Shine Yeye Gal" by Barrington Levy. "Red yeye" and "shine yeye" people want everything they see.

What do you think the expression " Si an bline, ear an deaf" means?
    Don't meddle.. This is the Jamaican version of "See no evil, hear no evil".

A phrase used often to describe Jamaica and its people is "Likkle but talawah". What does the word "talawah" mean?
    Fearless. This is how Jamaica's number one female DJ, "Lady Saw" describes herself. "Mi likkle but mi talawah" I am small but fearless.

When listening to Jamaican dancehall music , you often hear the phrase "Unnu ready?" What is "unnu"?
    The audience. "Unnu" is a pronoun for everyone. The plural form of you.

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