Tag Archives: Jamaican Language

Understanding “Riddims” (Rhythms) to Master Jamaican Slang.

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Reggae music is so vital in one’s journey to speak Jamaican Patois and Jamaican Slang that it might be the number one way to learn the language. Although, all forms of reggae present vital information about Jamaican Culture, Jamaican Slang is usually found in dancehall reggae, also known as ragga. Ragga is basically digitally produced reggae music. Ragga is the most commercially successful Jamaican music since Bob Marley and it also the most popular form of music among all Jamaicans. (By the way, I use dancehall and ragga interchangeably as well as rhythm and riddim interchangeably. Riddim is the patois version

The fact that most rhythms are digitally produced allows producers to create an unlimited amount of rhythms for very little cost has opened the doors to many Jamaican and International producers. Just to give you an idea, since the 1990s, at least 5,000 new rhythms have been produced…annually. Similar to hip-hop beats, ragga rhythms (dancehall riddims) can be created on the fly, but they can also be created using samples. For example, a few years ago there was a popular rhythm called the Mission Impossible Riddim and as the name implies, the rhythm took the sound sample from the theme song to the film, Mission Impossible. What is interesting about rhythms in danchall riddims is the number of artists that make songs over them. This would never be allowed in hip-hop in the same way, it would be deemed ‘bitting’. When 15 or more artists make songs over one riddim, its called a ‘One Rhythm’ album. This is something that is unusually found in dancehall, but places a key role in an industry that often relies more on singles sales as opposed to album sales. It is also on these rhythms where new artists get a chance to shine and talk about everything from politics, Jamaica, family and more often than not, sex!

I would say, that if you listen to some of the more popular riddims, you are very likely to learn a great deal of Jamaican slang. For example, here are the lyrics to Sean Paul’s “Punkie”, a song that was popular before it was released into the mainstream:

Hot sexy punkie, me punkie
Gal me see say that you want me, you want me
And it no matter wa you man a say, man a say
Cause you know say that we haffi link up one day
Hot sexy punkie, me lady
Gal me see say that you want me, me baby
And it no matter wa you man a say, man a say
Cause you know say that we haffi link up one day

Just checking out the lyrics in this verse of the song, you can learn several patois phrases, pronunciation and words. With ragga tracks being the most popular form of Jamaican music in recent times, artists from all socio-economic classes have made songs. Usually, people from the lower end of the socio-economic ladder speak more patois and slang than people from the upper end. Jamaican Slang and Patois are not seen as proper by some members of society, even though this is changing as Jamaicans learn to embrace patois for national identity. So, the deeper into the masses you look, the more authentic the slang becomes in dancehall. If you listen to a Vybz Kartel track, you are certain to hear many new Jamaican Slang words and Vybz is an artist that makes all of his songs over riddims. For example, check out the lyrics to Vybz’ ‘Tek Buddy’:

Tek buddy gal, yuh think me easy?
Who you ramp wid? Yuh wha live easy
Tek me things and yuh tek me money too
So tek buddy too, tek buddy too
Tek buddy gal, yuh think me easy?
Who you ramp wid? Yuh wha live easy
Yuh, tek me things and tek me money too
So tek buddy too, tek buddy too

Vybz Kartel – Tek Buddy

I hope this helps explain a few things about dancehall and where you can learn Jamaican Slang…besides getting the definitive source on Jamaican Slang…the Rastaman Vibration at www.jamaican-slang.com

Here are two bonus songs to help you learn some Jamaican Slang! More Time!:

Busy Signal – Nah Ansa

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Timberlee – Backdoor Delivery (Ole Geezer Riddim)

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Reggae, Bob Marley and Ghosts…The Jamaican Trinity

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Wha gwaan Duppy Conquerors? It’s really an exciting time for Reggae, Jamaican Patois and Jamaican Slang. So much is behind the movement to see Jamaican Patois recognized as an official language and the work laid down by Bob Marley more than 20 years ago is still hitting people. In the song, Duppy Conqueror, Bob Marley introduced to the world, one of Jamaican Patois’ unique words  – Duppy.

Duppy (dup-pee): a ghost/spirit.

Duppies are usually seen as malevolent spirits or ghosts. The word has its origins in West Africa and has been the subject of songs by Bob Marley and Lee Scratch Perry. And itis with this information that we complete the trinity…the reggae part.

Here is a great blog post about Dub music, the ghost sound of reggae, and Rastafarians. This is a fascinating article and has a wealth of information for students of Jamaican Patois, Jamaican Slang and Reggae.

  “Dub arose from doubling—the common Jamaican practice of reconfiguring or “versioning” a prerecorded track into any number of new songs. Dub calls the apparent “authenticity” of roots reggae into question because dub destroys the holistic integrity of singer and song. It proclaims a primary postmodern law: there is no original, no first ground, no homeland. By mutating its repetitions of previously used material, dub adds something new and distinctly uncanny, vaporizing into a kind of doppelgänger music. Despite the crisp attack of its drums and the heaviness of its bass, it swoops through empty space, spectral and disembodied. Like ganja, dub opens the “inner door.” John Corbett even links the etymology of the word “dub” with duppie (Jamaican patois for ghost). Burning Spear entitled the dub version of his great Marcus Garvey album Garvey’s Ghost, and Joe Gibbs responded to Lee Perry’s production of Bob Marley’s “Duppie Conqueror” with the cut “Ghost Capturer.” Perry described dub as “the ghost in me coming out.” Dub music not only drums up the ghost in the machine, but gives the ghost room to dance.” (sourced here).

It should be noted though that Rastafarianism – unlike many Afro-Caribbean religions such as Vodou – is not a possession cult. As far as I am aware, there are no rituals in Rastafarianism in which, during trance, the subject is thought to have acquired a different personality: that of a god, a deity, genius or ancestor who takes possession of the subject, substitutes itself for him, and acts in that subject’s place. Furthermore, alcohol, which has an important role in many Afro-Caribbean possession rituals, is tabooed under Rastafarian food laws (I-Tal).

“[Rasta] has little in common with Haitian voodoo, Cuban santeria or the other Africanised remixes of Catholicism. Instead of a panoply of spirits, Rasta has just the one God, the stern patriarch of the Old Testament – not someone with whom you can cut deals, as you can with voodoo’s loa. If anything, Rasta is Afro-Protestant, sharing with mainland America’s fundamentalists an emphasis on close reading of the scriptures and a millenarian belief in an End of Time whereupon the righteous get transported to the promised land.” (“Tangets #2. Back To The Roots”, by Simon Reynolds, Wire, September 2000).

Nevertheless, in Rastafarianism communion or ‘communial trances’ do play a role. “Rasta mystical experience emphasizes the possibility of the immediate presence of Jah within the “dread,” or “God-fearer.” God’s presence brought on an understanding of the fundamental unity of all humanity, expressed in the pronoun “I&I” (which can mean I, we, or even you, with Jah present). Discerning the will of God is an almost Talmudic process, achieved through night-long “reasoning” sessions, part theological debate, part prayer meeting and meditation, which lead to an “overstanding” (rather than understanding) of the truth through union with Jah.” (sourced here).

“In fact, one of the most common Rastafarian rituals involves reading a chapter of the bible everyday. The version most commonly read is that of King James. The Rastafarians claim, however, that King James distorted the true content of the bible party because of his inability to translate the Amharic Ethiopian text accurately, and also as a deliberate ploy to perpetuate the suppression and oppression of the black race. So, although the bible is read and venerated, the Rastafarians only choose to read those passages which they ‘intuitively’ feel are correct.” (sourced here).

Many tenets of Rastafarianism, such as the I-Tal diet and the wearing of dreadlocks, are the result of an at once inspired and paranoid reading of the Scriptures, the result of a Ganja-entranced communion with Jah.

“Reggae fans, black and white, (…) looked to the music for “a solid foundation” (as the Congos sang it), for certainty and truth, militancy and motivation. ‘Roots rock rebel’ neatly condenses how Jamaican music was seen both by rock and by reggae itself. Reggae was anti-imperialist: Rasta’s Pan-Africanism connected with the period’s post-colonial struggles (…). Reggae was anti-capitalist (…). And reggae was anti-fascist, (…) bringing radical chic to countless student digs with its poster iconography: Peter Tosh, a Che Guevara with natty dreads and black beret; Medusa-headed spiritual warriors Black Uhuru, Burning Spear, and Culture; Steel Pulse preaching about “Handsworth Revolution”.” (from: “Tangents #2: Back to the roots”, Simon Reynolds, Wire, September 2000 issue)

To read the full post click here. To read more about Reggae, Dub, Bob Marley and Jamaican Patois, check out the Rastaman Vibration at SPEAKJAMAICAN.COM

Writting in Jamaican Slang, Patois, Language

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One of the cool things about Jamaican Slang and Patois is that the language has not been institutionalized yet. Now, there is an effort to translate the Bible into Jamaican Patois, but this is still some years away. What I mean about being institutionalized is that there really is not a “right” or “wrong” way of writing the language. Now, there IS a right way to speak the language in terms of pronunciation and grammar, but there is no formal way to right words in patois. For example, I was just reading a small note in Jamaican Patois and I saw the word FIRE written in several ways: Fiyah, Fyah, and Fiah. Crazy right?

Now, I usually spell the word Fiyah, but no one spelling is wrong in this case. This is an important thing to remember when learning and communicating with people in Jamaican Patois. Some words do have a proper spelling, but many do not, so just get out there and speak Jamaican Patois.

To learn more Jamaican Slang and Patois, check out the Rastaman Vibration available to www.jamaican-slang.com

Great Reggae Artist & Rasta Sizzla Gives a Special Interview

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I was so excited when I came across this unique and special interview with Sizzla, the legendary and prolific rasta and reggae artist. Everything Sizzla touches is special and this is not different. Yes, I know he sometimes has fun and deviates from his core message, but you try to put out 10-15 albums a year about a few subjects…nuff said. This interview ranks up with the best that you can find. Sizzla, a Bobo Dread, breaks down Rastafari and its role in the world. You have to listen to this:

[YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8phWqHgaaS8]

 

Sizzla is legendary and has contributed so much music to the world in the name of Rastafari and Reggae Music. To learn more about Rastafari, Reggae and Jamaica. Check out the Rastaman Vibration!

Soon Come!

Jamaican Hooked On Phonics Lesson One….One,Two,Tree

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If you want to speak Jamaican Patois and master the Jamaican language, you are going to have to know the grammar. Just like any language there are some rules, but the cool thing is, the rules in Jamaican Patois are not like many other languages…so let’s get into it.

In the Jamaican language, the singular and plural are the same word, so here is an example:

one cat, two cat = one cat, two cats

one bwoy, two bwoy = one boy, two boys

“Member Dat!” or Remember that even things in the plural are spoken in the singular form, so you do not need to add the plural prefix -S like in our boring Standard English.

Often times there is a clear need to indicate a plural, the third person plural pronoun written as dem, is placed after the noun. Here are some examples:

Di bwoy dem = The boys

Gwaan chat wit di gyal dem = Go chat with the girls

Call di pickney dem = Call the children/kids

Okay yardies, hopefully you get the point that “S” in Jamaican Patois is just not necesary so save it for a conversation with your grandma (unless she is Jamaican!). You might want to know why the language evolved this way. Basically, according to L. Emilie Adams, the practice of using the third person plural pronoun (Dem=Them) after the noun (ie. bwoy, gyal) to indicate the plural is an African linguistc characteristic brought to Jamaica by the Africa Slaves. Most Jamaicans are the descendants of peoples speaking languages of the Niger-Congo family. This language family is the largest in Africa and are mostly known for adding the third person plural pronoun to indicate the plural.

There are so many things from Africa that Jamaica has preserved and also reinvented. It’s just so cool to see things often oppressed survive. There are so many other Africanism in Jamaican Patois, that I have to break it up. So stay tuned and … visit www.jamaican-slang.com to learn about Jamaican Patois.

More Time!

Rastas and Yardies Pay Attention – Michael Reid’s List of the Greatest Reggae Artists Ever

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I love reggae music and who doesn’t. Images of peace, beaches, tropical weather, culture, good food and social awareness…everyone can connect with reggae music. Of course, there are thousands of reggae artists around the world, but some just stand out such as Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Sizzla and Peter Tosh. Now, most of these are among my favorites, but others like Michael Reid may have a different opinions and that is fine. Although opinions differ, there are some artists that just MUST be on this list! Let’s look at Michael’s list and see who is a definite and who could be replaced.

While many may not agree with my selection, these reggae artists have certainly contributed to the reggae fraternity in a major way and should get the respect they deserve. The music that these artists produced will never die, as the impact made are so great that we are still touched by their lyrics and sounds.

1. BOB MARLEY

Bob Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley on Feb. 6, 1945 in Saint Ann, Jamaica. His father, Norval Sinclair Marley, was a white Englishman and his mother, Cedelia Booker, was a black Jamaican. Bob Marley died of cancer in Miami, FL on May 11, 1981. Marley had 12 children, four by his wife Rita, and was a devout Rastafarian. Bob Marley’s father died when he was 10 years old, and his mother moved with him to Kingston’s Trenchtown neighborhood after his death. As a young teen, he befriended Bunny Wailer, and they learned to play music together. At 14, Marley dropped out of school to learn the welding trade, and spent his spare time jamming with Bunny Wailer and ska musician Joe Higgs.

2. PETER TOSH

Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh (October 9, 1944 – September 11, 1987) was the guitarist in the original Wailing Wailers, a reggae musician, and a trailblazer for the Rastafari movement. Tosh grew up in the Kingston, Jamaica slum of Trench town. He stood out because of his height at 6 feet, 4 inches. His short-fuse temper and unveiled sarcasm usually kept him in trouble, earning him the nickname Stepping Razor after a song written by Joe Higgs, an early mentor. He began to sing and learn guitar at a young age, inspired by the American stations he could pick up on his radio. After an illustrious career with the Wailers and as a solo musician, he was murdered at his home. Though robbery was officially said to be the motivation behind Tosh’s death, many believe that there were ulterior motives to the killing, citing that nothing was taken from the house.

3. DENNIS BROWN

Dennis Brown was born Feb 01, 1957 in Kingston, Jamaica. One of Jamaica’s most beloved and prolific artists, the late Dennis Brown has left behind a slew of classic songs and myriad hits, a rich musical legacy born of a career that spanned over 30 years. Born Dennis Emmanuel Brown in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1957, his childhood home virtually destined him to a future in the music industry. He grew up on Orange Street, the heart of the island’s music scene, with most of the major recording studios a mere stone’s throw away. As the stars and future hitmakers paraded by day and music pumped out of the studios, the child could not help but be entranced.

4. JIMMY CLIFF

Jimmy Cliff OM (born James Chambers, 1 April 1948, Somerton District in St. James, Jamaica) is a Jamaican SKA and reggae musician, best known among mainstream audiences for songs like “Sittin’ in Limbo”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want It”, “Many Rivers to Cross” from The Harder They Come, a film soundtrack which helped popularize reggae across the world, and for a cover of “I Can See Clearly Now” from the film “Cool Runnings.”

5. Sizzla

Sizzla was born Miguel Collins on April 17, 1976, and was raised in the August Town area of Kingston by devout Rastafarian parents. After honing his vocal skills, he landed a gig with the Caveman Hi-Fi sound system, where he first made a name for himself as a performer. He cut his first single for the small Zagalou label in 1995, and soon moved on to Bobby “Digital” Dixon’s Digital B imprint. However, he didn’t manage a breakout success until saxophonist Dean Fraser recommended him to producer Philip “Fatis” Burrell. Sizzla released a series of singles on Burrell’s Xterminator label, including “Judgement Morning,” “Life’s Road,” “Blaspheme,” “We Uh Fear,” “I’m Not Sure,” and the Shadowman duet “The Gun.” His first LP, Burning Up, appeared on Xterminator later in 1995, and he toured extensively alongside Luciano and Mikey General. Unlike kindred spirits Capleton and Buju Banton, Sizzla’s early material was culturally oriented right from the start; he was able to build an audience without any of the lyrical slackness that helped establish the other two.

6. MARCIA GRIFFITHS

Jamaica’s longest-running and perhaps biggest female vocalist ever. Griffiths began as a teenager in Coxsone’s Studio One, racking up hit after hit, then joined with paramour Bob Andy as Bob & Marcia for the Top Five U.K. pop hit “Young, Gifted and Black.” She formed The I Threes to back Bob Marley’s international tours and recordings from 1974-1980 and scored a massive international hit with “Electric Boogie” in the ’80s. Despite a few ’70s Rasta tunes like “Stepping out of Babylon,” she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances.

7. YELLOWMAN

Yellowman is the stage name of Winston Foster, one of the biggest Jamaican reggae stars of the 1980s. Foster, an albino, grew up in Kingston institutions and overcame a rough childhood to become a swaggering DJ with a penchant for witty and sexually explicit lyrics and a stage show that made him a local star. He began recording in the early ’80s and for the next several years released records at a furious pace, outselling every other reggae star except Bob Marley. In 1986 Yellowman was diagnosed with throat cancer and given a dire prognosis, but he bounced back and resumed his career in the ’90s. His songs include “Mad Over Me,” “Mister Chin” and “Blueberry Hill.”

8. U-ROY

Known as the Originator, U-Roy wasn’t the first DJ, nor even the first to cut a record, but he was the first to shake the nation and he originated a style so distinctly unique that he single-handedly changed his homeland’s music scene forever. Born Ewart Beckford in Jones Town, Jamaica, in 1942, he received his famous moniker from a young family member unable to correctly pronounce Ewart and the nickname stuck.

9. MUTABARUKA

His poems have given voice to a nation and helped forge an entirely new genre of music, dub/rhythm poetry. Revolutionary, fiery, scathing, and stinging, Mutabaruka’s words are as potent on paper as on CD, and so the literary community needed to create a new term just for his works — meta-dub. Born in Rae Town, Jamaica, on December 12, 1952, Allan Hope first realized the power of the word when he was in his teens. It was the ’60s; the Black Power movement was at its height, and numerous radical leaders were putting their thoughts and histories in print.

10. GARNETT SILK

Born Garnet Damion Smith in Greenvale, Hatfield in the parish of Manchester, Jamaica, he was known for his emotive, powerful and silky voice. During the 1980s he was widely hailed as a rising talent, but his career was ended by his early death in 1994 while attempting to save his mother while his house was on fire, while others suspect that it was a conspiracy which involved his two younger brothers, Lij Amlak(Paul Cassanova) & Omar Silk(Omar Scott) which were upcoming artists at the time. He and his mother were found in each other’s arms when their bodies were discovered. His debut album was “It’s Growing” and his first major hit was “Hello Africa”.

Okay, so after looking at the list I certainly agree that all of the artists here are classic artists, but my list would be a “likkle” different. This is not something that I can rush, but I will say that some people on this list are definitely on my list and others are definitely not on my list. Bob Marley, Sizzla and Yellowman are definitely on my list. As for those not on the list…stay tuned.

More time!

To learn more about Reggae, Rasta and Jamaican Language check out The Rastaman Vibration – The Definitive Source on Jamaican Culture, Jamaican Language (Patois), and Rasta! 

Get Lost in Jamaica? Here’s How You Ask Directions in the Jamaican Language…

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Imagine getting lost in the Blue Mountains of Jamaican and everyone you see only speaks Patois, the Jamaican language. Well, Standard English might not be that helpful even though English is the official language of Jamaica. Knowing how to ask for directions in Jamaican Patois is the way out of being lost. Here is a great entry providing a basic summary of how to ask for directions in Jamaican Patois. Read it and then speak:

 

In the Jamaican dialect there are ways of asking for directions and there are separate ways of giving directions. This article will explore the various ways of doing this. We will also look at the popular phrase ‘ah whe’ and how to turn it from a question into a statement. Much of this will take some rote memorization. Ok, let’s begin.


Asking Directions

ah whe ee deh? – where is it?

Ee deh deh? – is it there?

Desso ee deh? – it is there?

yasso ee deh? – it is right here?

ee deh ova deh? – is it over there?

In the above examples, you ask a question by changing your intonation and by having a questioning tone. With the exception of “ah whe ee deh” all the above examples can be converted from questions (asking directions) to statements (which give directions). Examples of this are shown below.

Giving Directions

Ee deh deh – it is there

desso ee deh – it is there

yasso ee deh – it is right here

ee deh ova deh – it is over there

Now, let’s look at the example of “ah whe ee deh” which can only be used for asking questions. The first two words in this phrase ‘ah whe’ literally mean ‘a where’ which means that you are asking a question. Therefore, if we want to change ‘a whe ee deh’ from a question into a statement you would have to replace ‘a whe’. Here are some examples with ‘a whe’ being replaced and other words being inserted in its place to change the sentence from a question into a statement. Take a look at
the examples below.

Ee deh deh – it is there

ee deh ponni – it is on it

ee deh sydah di – it is beside the

ee deh nex di – it is next to the

To read the original article, click here. And to learn more about Patois, the Jamaican Language, and Jamaican culture pick up a copy of the Rastaman Vibration at www.jamaican-slang.com

Irie!

Do You Undertand “Overstanding”?

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Bredren and Sisdren, to speak Jamaican is to speak the language of the rastas, overstand? Yes…the word is overstand as opposed to understand and it is a key aspect to the way rastas communicate. Here is a great article by Unika Hypolite of Rasta-Reason.com about “overstanding”:

“Overstanding” is a play on words like many other words in the Rastafari Language. These play on words originated as a symbol of separation from the Western ideology and as well as a continual (I-tinual) remembrance of the struggle for emancipation.

It is overstood that when one communicates, they are communicating an idea to another individual. Ideas are created by men thus the idea cannot be superior to its creator; similarly to the concept (I-cept) held by the Islamic ideology that man cannot be God because God created man.

The Rastafari philosophy asserts that every man woman and child are equal (hence the term InI) therefore the individual who is receiving the information is equal to the communicator of the information and superior to the idea being communicated. That being said, one should not “understand” or stand under an idea; when they absorb and correctly perceive an idea they “Overstand” it.

Very insightful about the language spoken by the rastas. Well, I hope you overstand overstanding. For more information about Rastas and Jamaican language get The Rastaman Vibration at www.jamaican-slang.com