This past Friday Lucy and I were sitting watching the T20 semi-final between Sri Lanka and the West Indies. At the post-match presentation, the losing captain Chris Gayle was having a chat with one of the commentators, and whilst Lucy was able to make it out, I had absolutely no clue what he was saying. I don’t think it’s a fault on my part, more that Jamaicans speak a unique version of English like no one else in the world. For example:
Mi like yuh cris cyar.
Translation: I like your new car.Yuh tuh fass and facety.
Translation: You are too inquisitive and fresh.Gyal, yuh roach killa dem a seh one out deh.
Translation: Girl, those shoes are the bomb.But cooh pan di lickle invalid.
Translation: Oh the poor little boy is handicapped.Gyal fayva buckteet Ida.
Translation: She has a bit of an overbite.What a bway dunce sah.
Translation: He has a touch of Dyslexia.
Anyways, that was just a preamble to what I really wanted to show you – it’s pretty old but something I always go to when I need a good laugh. Taken from the 90s tv series “The Real McCoy”, this skit is from a JBC news broadcast where the presenter is giving the lineup of British TV shows that have been dubbed especially for Jamaican audiences. Check it out.
BONUS: Hit the jump for some more Jamaican slang to introduce into your daily conversation.