Can an american learn to speak patwa?

**Sinco01** · 03-03-2005, 11:38 AM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

yep .. yuh can learn it ...but maybe not speak it too well

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

you got a point there BB ... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

my kids always came back from their summer vacations speaking patois .. took them about 2 mths to get back to American english .. their friends in school were flabbergasted [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

**neochin** · 03-03-2005, 11:40 AM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by JamaicaDaye:
[qb]

Originally posted by neochin:
[qb] 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. [/qb]

I went to "fully loaded"(a reggae concert held at helshire beach) some years ago and heard people from Paris, France(first time in Jmaica), from Japan(first time as well),Hispanic from New York and from Germany all performing onstage and speaking near flawless patois.
My mouth was open the entire time. They understood and performed it well because they mainly were 'sound guys' who play only reggae or dancehall. of course the ultimate was 'black chiney' a group out of florida but I later found out that they were (chinese)jamaicans who moved to florida. [/qb]

if you think those guys speak flawless patois you may need a q-tip to remove the wax from your ears....there is NO foreign sound that sounds 100% authentic. Even Mighty Crown sounds awkward and use awkward patois grammar. plus, sound business is like sport commentating. listen to enough tapes and you have every sentence you will ever need.

**JamaicaDaye** · 03-03-2005, 11:40 AM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

i am still suspicious about all the sudden interest in the language though.

**JamaicaDaye** · 03-03-2005, 11:48 AM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by neochin:
[qb]

Originally posted by JamaicaDaye:
[qb]

Originally posted by neochin:
[qb] 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. [/qb]

I went to "fully loaded"(a reggae concert held at helshire beach) some years ago and heard people from Paris, France(first time in Jmaica), from Japan(first time as well),Hispanic from New York and from Germany all performing onstage and speaking near flawless patois.
My mouth was open the entire time. They understood and performed it well because they mainly were 'sound guys' who play only reggae or dancehall. of course the ultimate was 'black chiney' a group out of florida but I later found out that they were (chinese)jamaicans who moved to florida. [/qb]

if you think those guys speak flawless patois you may need a q-tip to remove the wax from your ears....there is NO foreign sound that sounds 100% authentic. Even Mighty Crown sounds awkward and use awkward patois grammar. [/qb]

did you notice that i said near flawless ? I have no clue who mighty crown is. if u are referring to ppl here in north america of jamaican parents, then yes, I tend to agree with you that some have very awkward patois because they are trying too hard and it's not natural. especially true when their parents are the only jamaicans they are around growing up. they are only exposed to their parents quirks, inflexions and ways of speaking out of the context of the larger varied versions of the whole.

do u get what i'm trying to say? i confuse even myself sometimes [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

**Q3210** · 03-03-2005, 12:49 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by Q.K:
[qb]

Originally posted by Q3210:
[qb] QK...is what nattylub just seh???

[/qb]

She seh mi fi tell Q3210 fi go ded a bush! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [/qb]

No way. Where did you get that? Reading Nattylub`s subsequent posts leaves me with admiration for one so full of humility. No way has she acquired that facety Jamaican trait...GDAB...
Depending on the tone of that phrase, it can sound very unpolished, very uncouthed and nothing to be proud of except of course as you say it humourously.

**Q3210** · 03-03-2005, 01:01 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Daye, please explain your superstition of people expressing a desire to grasp the Jamaican language of the people?
I hear some say that they love the sound of it, that it sounds sexy.
Some love it for whatever reason.
I`m the least suspiscious, why are you?

**JamaicaDaye** · 03-03-2005, 01:06 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

superstition? i generally take everything with a grain of salt.

**Q3210** · 03-03-2005, 01:12 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

i agree, scepticism is good, but with regards to useage of a dialect by foreigners, why the suspicion?

**JamaicaDaye** · 03-03-2005, 01:22 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

given the recent assault on reggae music and jamaican performer's freedom of speech, why not.
the only curtain that the entertainers have is the language.

**championgal262** · 03-03-2005, 02:00 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

No!! no one else should learn our language!!!!!!!!!!!

**Q3210** · 03-03-2005, 02:09 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Language and profanity? Anti gay expressions?

**Maylen-Jamaica** · 03-03-2005, 02:10 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by championgal262:
[qb] No!! no one else should learn our language!!!!!!!!!!! [/qb]

Anyone can learn it,being able to understand or speak it is another thing.
we in England were taught French as our 2nd language,in the USA it is spanish.

**Q3210** · 03-03-2005, 02:12 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

In Jamaica it is English,

**championgal262** · 03-03-2005, 02:12 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Anyone can learn it,being able to understand or speak it is another thing

No! no one else should learn it and definately no one else should be able to understand it!

**Night Nurse** · 03-03-2005, 02:13 PM

Re: Can an american learn to speak patwa?

Originally posted by JamaicaDaye:
[qb] some have very awkward patois because they are trying too hard and it's not natural. especially true when their parents are the only jamaicans they are around growing up. they are only exposed to their parents quirks, inflexions and ways of speaking out of the context of the larger varied versions of the whole.[/qb]

That is ESPECIALLY TRUE for some on dis board. Yuh seeeet everyday. Mekkz mi kringe sometimes. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Can an american learn to speak patwa?

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