![]() ![]() He also referred to tests of oral comprehension of English in news broadcasts among Jamaicans that showed up to 40% did not understand them clearly. To back up his argument, he cited the case of a researcher who was treated politely by four banks in central Kingston when he spoke standard English but rudely when he spoke Jamaican patois. "People also suffer when they receive health services, social services, education and public information in a language they do not understand," he said. But, according to the professor, this is not enough. At present the constitution bans discrimination on grounds of gender, race, colour, religion, place of origin, social class and political opinion, and allows for criminal suspects or defendants to have the charges explained to them "in a language they understand". In response, Professor Devonish has put forward a less controversial idea, that the constitution be amended to include a reference to language. The idea of elevating patois to official status also offends the middle classes, who see it as an attack on English and their membership of a global English-speaking community. Many Jamaicans - including patois speakers - do not believe it is a language in its own right. And that we should acknowledge that Jamaican is the language of the majority and start teaching English as a foreign language in schools."īut Professor Devonish accepts this proposal is not politically or socially acceptable - yet. "I believe we should have two official languages - English and Jamaican. "Patois is the language of the home English is something children learn at school. ![]() "And so do the prime minister and most of the government," he added. Available at: WorldCat."Even wealthy white Jamaicans often have better command of patois than English," said Professor Hubert Devonish, the head of language, linguistics and philosophy at the University of the West Indies (UWI), who is leading the campaign for patois rights. Jonesboro, AR: Justuwait & See Productions and Grant House, 2009. Jamaican patwa no problem : a tourist's guide to Jamaican language and culture. Jamaican Patois words that everyone should learn at Youtube.Available at: WorldCat.Īdditional Resources Cave Hill, Barbados: University of the West Indies, 2002. Cassidy, Frederic Gomes, and Robert Brock Le Page.20 Essential Jamaican Patois Phrases Translated to English at.18 Jamaican Patois Phrases Translated to English at.Orthography (spelling system) at Wikipedia.List of Jamaican Patois words of African origin at WikipediaĪlphabet and Pronunciation.Kingston, Jamaica: LRD Enterprises, 1983. Jamaicanisms : the Jamaican language from A to Z, a visitors' guide to native talk. ![]()
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