Bahamian Lingo
Many times when Bahamians speak, the first question that many individuals ask is, "What language do you speak, is it English?" Well if you should know, we certainly do. It is a special version of the English language-truly our own,
used by the grass-roots people of the Bahamas and also by educated Bahamians who want to relate to their roots! Non-Bahamians would certainly have a difficult time understanding the ‘Bahamian lingo’!
In the event that you are making
preparations to visit our beautiful islands, herewith is a brief language course which hopefully will make your trip and stay a little easier to understand.
English |
Bahamian |
| vicious |
wicious |
| welcome |
velcome |
| women |
vimmen |
| wet |
vet |
| three |
tree |
| this |
dis |
| victory |
wictory |
| very |
wery |
| when |
ven |
| what |
vut |
| that |
dat |
| throw |
trow |
| theater |
theaduh |
| why |
vy |
ENGLISH |
BAHAMIAN DIALECT |
| 1. I will see you on the beach. |
1. I guh see you on duh beach. |
| 2. The children are watching the fish. |
2. Duh chirren dem is vatchin the fishes. |
| 3. She told me that she had traveled far. |
3. She tell me say she travel far. |
| 4. I am happy. You are happy. We are all happy. |
4. I happy. You happy. We all happy |
| 5. We come from different countries. |
5. Ve come from diff’ren countries. |
| 6. I am a tourist. You are a tourist. |
6. I’s a tourist. You is a tourist. |
Bahamian Terms
Biggety: bold, loud, outspoken -- He"s a ‘biggety’ man!
Buck up: hit, crash -- I 'buck up' last night.
Chief: friendly way to address someone -- Hey ‘Chief’ welcome to the Bahamas!
Cut Eye: look of hatred, contempt
Duff: fruit-filled boiled dough.
Erl: oil -- Put some ‘erl’ in your car!
Ferl: foil -- Wrap dem fishes in duh ferl!
Gat: got -- He gat plenty money!
Gatte: Have to -- I gatte (e pronounced as double ee) go to duh beach.
Musse: Must be -- He musse (e pronounced as double ee) cold- look how his teet dem chatterin’!
Gone: farewell -- Deh gone to duh hotel. I gone (goodbye).
Grabalishus: greedy -- He grabalishus duh way he take all duh money!
Jam up: crowded, full -- Dat room vas jam up!
Jook: poke, stick -- He jook me in my leg!
Kerpunkle up: drunk, intoxicated -- He kerpunkle right up!
Muddo: exclamation of excitement -- Well, muddo, you see size a dat fish!!!
Sip sip/gap seed: gossip -- Sip sip gat it dat her husband scheme (cheat) on huh!
Tief: steal -- He tief all duh fish them from duh dock!
When you have the flu you might say something like this:
‘Muh bones achin’, I sneezin’, my ears dem ringin’, dis cold killin’ me!’
THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!
"I hope yinna can understan vut vee Bahamians does talk bout naw."
This site is © Copyright YourName 2004-2005, All Rights Reserved.
Free web templates
|
