Although English is Jamaica’s official language, the wonderful blend of cultures and races have contributed to other languages spoke on the island. The dialect has been born from various historical collisions such as colonialism, trade, slavery, war and the plantation system. From the slave trade, African and English words, intonation and grammar mixed with Native Caribbean as well as Spanish influences too. Since English is considered the language of capital and power, most Jamaican words have English roots but the grammatical structures and sounds offer an African presence.
Jamaican Patois or Jamaican Creole
Although linguists refer to the native language as Jamaican creole, it is known locally as Patois. This is certainly not meant to be confused with Rastafarian English or Jamaican English. It was the 17th century when Patois was developed when African slaves were exposed to dialectal and vernacular forms of English that were used by their masters of British, English and Scottish origin.
Patois is basically only a spoken language and British English is used for writing purposes. There are no past tense verbs nor is there a pronominal system. Therefore, mi means I and me while dem means both they and them.
Jamaican English
Both British and American English are blended together to create Jamaican English. This language exists alongside Jamaican Patois, both traditionally find their place in most homes. Creole is informal, spoken among friends and influences music while Jamaican English is reserved for school and work. It’s comparable to a teenager talking slang at school with friends but then speaking properly once around their parents or other adults.
African American Vernacular English
AAVE, often referred to as Ebonics, has several similarities to creole English. Although it is clear that there is a strong connection between this language and southern American English the exact origin of how it made its presence known in Jamaica is up for debate. One theory is that slaves created this language so they could communicate with one another without other captors understanding.
One of the most obvious parts of this dialect that sets it apart from American English is the use of negatives. It is not uncommon to see double negatives like I didn’t go nowhere, which should read I didn’t go anywhere. Many notable authors have used AAVE in their works such as Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain, Herman Melville and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Rastafarian Vocabulary
Unfortunately, many African languages were lost due to the slave trade. Rastafarian teachings suggest that English is a colonial language so their remedy was to modify the dialect, avoiding syllables and words deemed negative, replacing them with positive ones. For example:
- I replaces me because me suggests an object but I emphasis an individual and ownership.
- I man is used to describe the inner man in every rastafari believer.
- Intinually replaces the word continually because it provides more of an everlasting sense. It suggests I exist continually.
Arawak
Although Arawak is not spoken as a full language. Many of the words created by these first settlers are still used today such as tobacco, guava, canoe, hammock and hurricane. The Tainos who spoke Arawak are believed to have inhabited this beautiful island for 900 years before the Spanish invaded. Within 50 years, they were an extinct race. Many couldn’t survive the diseases that the Spanish brought with them to the island while others committed suicide rather that being enslaved. They’re memory lives on in Jamaica and centuries later, many of their words do as well.