Can an american learn to speak patwa?

[Boricua_papi]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by iluvportland:
[qb] mi caynt stan fi hear dem seh, "yeah mon, one love..." ahn all daht rubbish. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Chuss mi Nattylub, jus try fi undastan it, ahn di rest will come. Nuh try too hard fi talk eei.

evalastin kissteet bout..."we be jammin mon" Ah wah di hell daht... [/qb]

Irie mon

[RollinCalf]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by iluvportland:
[qb] mi caynt stan fi hear dem seh, "yeah mon, one love..." ahn all daht rubbish. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Chuss mi Nattylub, jus try fi undastan it, ahn di rest will come. Nuh try too hard fi talk eei.

evalastin kissteet bout..."we be jammin mon" Ah wah di hell daht... [/qb]

We be Rasta mon. We smoking ghanja mon.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Yes they do it all the time. You don't think that many Jamaicans are also Americans?

[sistactry]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

unus gats no sense, [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[nattylub]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

I'm definatly going try.... My fear is that I will sound foolish... Mi naa wan dat na!!

[BoundBrook]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by Portmore...:
[qb] brit, mayeb i shouldn't have said that they speak it. but they sure do type it pretty well for the most part - and understand it - better than the average Shmo out there.

QK? Brook? oonu come defen dat [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [/qb]

I will never be able to speak Patois. I am not Jamaican. I have learned the language, I can understand a lot of it, and am able to have conversations with people who speak to me in Patois. Trust me, when Red's best friend calls, or even his father, they make no attempt to speak to me any differently than they would Red. And why should they? I am married to a Jamaican, shouldn't I make an effort to understand?

However, I would not embarrass myself by trying to speak Patois (outloud that is.) In my head or after a few drinks... I cuss up a storm in Patois. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] Sometimes Red can talk me into saying a likkle someting 'ere and dere... but he only does it when he needs a good laugh. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I don't know one American, or any other nationality, who can learn Patois and speak it in a way that fools/convinces a Jamaican. I guess maybe if you have lived on the Island for a long time, or some special circumstances apply... then maybe you could speak Patois with no problem. However, I find that most Jamaicans know before you even get through the first syllable. It is like Q said, it is in your blood.

[neochin]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

it really depends on you as an individual. just like how many immigrants move to america and never learn english peroperly. the same applies. a lot has to do with effort and inate abilities in picking up new languages. it will always be easier to understand than to speak, and you have to be a good mimmick to pick up the accent properly. the easiest way would be to go live in the country regions of jamaica for a couple years. more than likely you will always have an american accent unless your just good with mimicry.

[sistactry]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

girl, talk it if u want, wha duh u,

and so what if it sound funny and ppl laaf, so what, u mek somebody peeup dem self, dats a good thing, [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[BoundBrook]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Besides, as a good friend of mine just pointed out...

"There is so much history in the language, it isn't something you would want to try to duplicate."

[neochin]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by BoundBrook:
[qb]
I don't know one American, or any other nationality, who can learn Patois and speak it in a way that fools/convinces a Jamaican. I guess maybe if you have lived on the Island for a long time, or some special circumstances apply... [/qb]

i do ... most of them were around jamaicans as very young kids. there's an age where once you reach it, it's hard to change your accent. however, don't feel bad, even children of jamaican parentage can't speak patois properly. i know some that can't even sound jamaican....it happens with every single culture. even jamaicans that move to america sound twingy twangy and foreign after a while...as a matter of fact, many if not most begin to sound american without trying.

[BoundBrook]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

I remember in my Neuroscience courses at school learning that you have to have repeatedly heard a sound/accent before 2 years of age if you are ever to mimic it or speak it properly. That is to say, most of your language skills are developed by this age.

[QK13]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

That was me who said you could live a yaad a life time and still not be able to speak it.
Please don't take everything you read here to heart. Especially when smilies are present.

A likkle humah yuh see... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

The thing about Patois is, IMHO, that Jamaicans understand standard English as well as you or I. So it really isn't necessary to be able to speak it, as long as you can understand it.

You may learn the the words, but making them sound right is tricky. Some people can speak spanish or french well enough to understand and be understood, but they haven't got the proper inflections and nuances of the language.

Where as a lot of words ARE english, you are only putting a Jamaican accent to them when used while speaking patois.

Am I making sense? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Anyway, I am not Jamaican and although I'm getting the hang of writing it and attempt speaking a few phrases here and there, I think I'd have to live in Jamaica a loooong time before I got it right. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Anywhoooo... Good Luck.

[RollinCalf]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

The best part of listening to patois is when wi tink wi stush an stawt fi spoke.

There is nothing, I repeat nothing, funnier than when the hurry come up amongst us mangle the Quuen's English.

Spend enough time on verandahs in certain parts of Kingston an yuh boun fi ded.

[Wahalla]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by neochin:
[qb]

Originally posted by BoundBrook:
[qb]
I don't know one American, or any other nationality, who can learn Patois and speak it in a way that fools/convinces a Jamaican. I guess maybe if you have lived on the Island for a long time, or some special circumstances apply... [/qb]

i do ... most of them were around jamaicans as very young kids. there's an age where once you reach it, it's hard to change your accent. however, don't feel bad, even children of jamaican parentage can't speak patois properly. i know some that can't even sound jamaican....it happens with every single culture. even jamaicans that move to america sound twingy twangy and foreign after a while...as a matter of fact, many if not most begin to sound american without trying. [/qb]

That is actually very interesting... I was in Js last year with a couple friends of mine...He bawn deh and I go back decades she few years.... She first generation fram Landan trying to chat patwa...took us to vist her peoples... (She actually did not know that I was born, grow and rough up in Ja.) And began to assume that she knew it all... point out flora and forna.. That stuff.... Mi neva sey ah ting.... suh wi siddung pan varanda a chat.... And her people start ax har and ar kinds how shi like Jumaica.... mi jus a watch wan ar ar fine youn cousin dem........(Hey mi ah man....) Suh shi wan bring mi inna deh conversation... Suh Wahalla how yu fine Jamaica?

ar Granny who mi neva met before sey to har... "Why yu axing Jahmanican how im like im country fa ?"....

My friend said "He wastn born here" The gran motehr was surprised and said "Yu hear nuh hear how im talk ?"

I dont try and get reaaly Jamaica, which is what many seacond and third generation try to do. And it feels odd..... Patwa just flows.... Its not getting the words right because there is no right way, it is a right feel.. that's why it changes meanings and form so rapidly...

However my freinds two daughters 4 and 2 spent 6 months in Jamaica last year and speak like they were born there....

[neochin]

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

*kiss teet* fia bun queen elizabett and fi har speaky spokey