But one of my friends in Montego Bay told me the simile recently caught on. Jamaicans refer to mildew and most other fungal growths — especially on cloth, floors, and walls — as junjo. Copyright © 2020, All rights reserved. Pengeleng refers to adult male genitalia, while teely usually refers to a small boy’s. Take a look at these 10 exciting exclamations Jamaicans love to use. A few were used by our parents and grandparents, but are not frequently used by millennials. A lot of foreign artistes use the term Bangarang in their music, and I’ve always wondered if they knew what it meant. While I’ve mostly heard it used to describe men, overweight women have had this term hurled at them as well. Definition. This is one of those words that are so old and out of regular usage that my generation barely knows what it means. Language is a medium to communicate your views and express yourself verbally. This is a word I heard often growing up, but wasn’t really sure what it meant. The Jamaican language is largely a derivative of Spanish, English and African influences on the country through its colonial history. As commonly happens, the word suss has made it into British slang, but they still use it much differently than we do. Copyright © Penlighten & Buzzle.com, Inc. Boonoonoonoos is a Jamaican saying to express love. . , If something is chakka-chakka it is messy or disorganised. Like its brother hataclaps, bangarang refers to a trouble or disturbance. Browse Jamaican Expressions Patois words and view their definitions, pronunciations, and alternative spellings on JamaicanPatwah.com Owing to our British roots, proper etiquette is very important in Jamaica. Gyalis - Mi lhub har aff – I love her entirely. Utmost respect, English Translation We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. . Thank you for your support. Jamaica instantly reminds you of the blue sea; silver sand beaches; a green, black, yellow flag; dreadlocks; and of course Bob Marley and his reggae music. I have always heard it used to mean a loud commotion. And others were invented in my lifetime, by fellow millennials, and continue to confuse our elders. The audio version is available EXCLUSIVELY with The Rastaman Vibration. song Chi-Chi Man, encouraging locals to keep their distance from the LGBTQ community. About the author. Since many of our adjectives also double as nouns, you will find several more under the hybrid heading in this article. By using this tool for sometime you will be able to speak like a jamaican. English Translation ‘Mi Soon Come’ This Jamaican expression means literally: I’ll be right there. Hataclaps can be a bit more serious than a bangarang, and is more synonymous with a serious crisis. Growing up, chi-chi was initially used to refer to termites. I want to be with you forever, English Translation 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. . If you’re fascinated by Jamaican Patois and would love to learn more about our language and culture, check out: Thank you to the more than 3 dozen Jamaicans who contributed to this list. Brawta refers to getting something extra as a bonus. According to Jamaican Patwah, a butu is: A person who has little or no social graces or manners. A wash belly typically refers to the youngest child, especially if that child is much younger than the rest of their siblings. Joe Grind refers to the man on the side. You might want to get to adulthood before saying it within earshot of your parents, though. Learn how your comment data is processed. We've arranged the synonyms in length order so that they are easier to find. Rastafarian words and phrases are a combination of English dialect and Jamaican Patois spoken primarily by Rastafarians. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. When you have a loved one with you on vacation, you might want to refer to him or her as a "boonoonoonoos friend" to express your feelings. is the ultimate informal oath that someone is telling the truth. If you think the nouns were colourful, the adjectives we come up with as Jamaicans could outdo a rainbow. The sample audio are shortened versions taken from the full length Learn Jamaican audio lessons. something nice, or a special person (e.g. The phrase “lhub aff” can also be used when speaking about things. In an earlier post last year, I discussed 14 English Words & Phrases that Mean Something Totally Different in Jamaican Patois. This is most popular with millennials in their later 20s, like myself. Definition - Slang term for a male who is skilled at seducing women, normally by tricking them into thinking they are the love his li... Jamaican Patwah. A gyalis is the updated word millennials use in place of mantel. Unlike stush, we use this to refer to both men and women. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Her less commonly referred to male equivalent is a mantel. I will never forget that! The following are some commonly used Jamaican slang terms and their meanings. The current language used is an amalgamation of a series of metaphors learned and passed on for generations, along with its rich history. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Alexis Chateau with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. A hurry-come-up is similar to what other English speakers may refer to as an upstart. I don’t hear it as much now, but from highschool into college it was commonly used, and often abbreviated as “Zn”, when texting. An adjective used to express one's joy or satisfaction towards a particular thing or ... To open fire with a weapon (usually a gun). 1. Here’s a list of Jamaican slang terms along with their meanings. Alexis Chateau sometimes includes affiliate product links and ads in the content provided. A pretty dunce is the Jamaican equivalent of a dumb blonde. To say the word “love” in Jamaican you would simply say: “Lhub.” Note that the “h” is mostly silent when pronouncing the word. We’re terrible people. If something is pyaaw-pyaaw, it’s weak and unappealing. , JAMAICANS ASSEMBLE : What are some words and phrases we've "invented", whether they are still in use or not? try something, To congratulate or give praise to yourself, English Translation As I explained back in 2013, to a follower who asked me about it: @JoelKyle_M They weren't rich. Playing, Slang term use to refer to a respected person, English Translation I love you too, English Translation Crazy / Mentally ill. Homegrown tobacco that's twisted into a rope. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Get Lesson #1 right after you enter your information below. A common feature of Jamaican Patois, is repetition to show emphasis. On Twitter, a feud almost broke out over which of these was the correct pronunciation. Some super-religious Jamaicans consider it blasphemy. I know it as plakka plakka, but I certainly wouldn’t tell people from other parts of Jamaica that plekkeh plekkeh is wrong. Jamaican sayings (or proverbs) reflects mainly our deep African, Asian and European influences.. In usually just one sentence, they tell life's stories, conveying significant approaches and ideas about nature, human behavior, health and religion- from generations to generations. This one doesn’t require an explanation, does it? Click here if you're interested in Jamaican … A butu is someone who lacks broughtupsy, and is stereotypically either from the ghetto or the countryside. According to the book, Rastafari and Other Caribbean Worldviews, “The word bunununus… which means nice, was often used to describe fat and attractive women.”. 3. boonoonoonoos 24; 0; English Translation . A more accurate translation would be, “since I was a young child”. special person . However, in Jamaica, we use Blue Movie as a euphemism for pornographic movies. Free online patois dictionary, Word of the Day, Definitions, Translations, Examples and many more features. A classic example of this is the word foo-fool, because just saying someone is foolish once is simply not enough. While this was commonly used as a child, I haven’t heard it as often, since adulthood. The word “bumbo” means buttocks and it is normally suffixed with other patois terms to enhance its meaning, e.g. The British use it to mean realising or understanding something, but in Jamaica, suss refers to gossip and scandalous rumours. For instance, when I order a Boston Creme at Dunkin Donuts, and they toss an extra one in the bag for free, that’s my brawta! Someone described as stush, has an overwhelming amount of broughtupsy, and are no longer down-to-earth. One follower briefly explains below. This phrase literally translates in English to “since my eyes have been at my knees”. I also remember that time I fell down a rocky incline in my grandmother’s yard. Patois: Him a mi boonoonoos friend English: He is my special friend / He is my sweetheart Related Words English Translation It is not as commonly said to women, or used by women. Corouches usually refers to junk, but not always literally. At a location, English Translation In plain English, it translates to "special person". It is only used to refer to living things, and ranges from mawga dog to mawga gyal. As one follower explained it: The phrase is a hybrid, because you may also refer to the action of the person as they work to climb the ranks, as hurry-come-up. English Translation: Player You can find her on Instagram as @rouchelle@2788, and be just as jealous as I am of her adventures! He also specified that the term tends to be used more for men than women. An expression of unity, similar to the term “one love”. A private account commented to say, “It’s ‘plakka plakka’ doe.” That sparked the debate over which one was correct. As per usual, all patois words in the body of the article, will be written in italics. The English translation for the Jamaican saying "ya mon" is “no problem” or “okay.” When someone offers you a rum runner, for example, it's what you might want to … This is a hybrid because I could use it to explain her actions as speakey-spokey (verb) or to describe the person as speakey-spokey (adjective). Mi lhub eem aff – I have him entirely. Slang is an informal use of a language. A mampy is a grossly obese person. It can also mean to reflect on something. mi lhub aff gungo soup – I love (eating) pigeon peas soup a lot. ☺️, Heel leuke en interessante post.Thanks for following my blog, You’re welcome! Naturally, being compared to a pair of worn out, dirty (once upon a time) white shoes is not a compliment. Every time I hear this phrase, I burst into laughter. This word is a hybrid because I could say the person is a risto (noun), or is being risto (adjective). The word earthstrong is brought to us by a prominent religious and cultural group in Jamaica, the Rastafarians. Don’t underestimate me. When asked what’s wrong, the friend may reply that “him a pree” (he is contemplating) his situation. Exclamations tend to not have literal meanings, but as with any other language, the context in which they are used, may vary.