Batta Batta...

[ackeepod]

Re: Batta Batta...

Many moons ago I did a course on patwa at UWI, and we learned that to form "the superlative" we should just double the word(cya memba which language it was) hence fenkeh fenkeh etc

[Stormmey]

Re: Batta Batta...

thx SandiF,

Skelly wey yu calling Shandra fa.....Annie wey sweet yu so

[mountaingal]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: haki</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Many moons ago I did a course on patwa at UWI, and we learned that to form &quot;the superlative&quot; we should just double the word(cya memba which language it was) hence fenkeh fenkeh etc </div></div>

i would have thought the doubling was a form of <span style="font-style: italic">emphasis</span>.

like how the italians add &quot;issimo&quot; for emphasis. so &quot;piano&quot; means soft and &quot;pianissimo&quot; means very soft.

[julie*mango]

Re: Batta Batta...

but the doubled word does not always mean the same thing as the single word

[ackeepod]

Re: Batta Batta...

den isn't that wat the Superlative means?? if something is being compared to something else in a similar category, the superlative is the greatest degree!

uote=MGee]<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: haki</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Many moons ago I did a course on patwa at UWI, and we learned that to form &quot;the superlative&quot; we should just double the word(cya memba which language it was) hence fenkeh fenkeh etc </div></div>

i would have thought the doubling was a form of <span style="font-style: italic">emphasis</span>.

like how the italians add &quot;issimo&quot; for emphasis. so &quot;piano&quot; means soft and &quot;pianissimo&quot; means very soft. [/quote]

[CeaBee]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">but the doubled word does not always mean the same thing as the single word </div></div>

like when?

[mountaingal]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: haki</div><div class="ubbcode-body">den isn't that wat the Superlative means?? if something is being compared to something else in a similar category, the superlative is the greatest degree!
means soft and &quot;pianissimo&quot; means very soft. </div></div>

superlative in english grammar indicates a progression, no? you'd need a comparative before you get to a superlative. fenky-fenky doesn't really start with fenky...

anyway, i went and sought out Fred Cassidy, my reference for Jamaican language. he defines this not as a case of superlatives, but as <span style="font-style: italic">word formation through the use of iteration (reduplication)</span>.

he says iteratives are used in English as well (e.g. goody-goody), but not to the same extent as in Jamaica talk. Jamaicans use iteratives for different reasons, eg.

for verbs, it is a way of indicating repetition or continuousness of action
<span style="font-style: italic">beg-beg
galang-galang
cry-cry</span>

for nouns, iteratives indicate multiplicity, accumulation or distribution
<span style="font-style: italic">wass-wass</span> = plenty of wasps
<span style="font-style: italic">mud-mud</span> = plenty mud
<span style="font-style: italic">one-one</span> = one at a time
<span style="font-style: italic">lickle-lickle</span> = a bit here and there, now and then

for adjectives, iteratives indicate intensification (probably the closest to the english concept of superlatives)
<span style="font-style: italic">pretty-pretty</span> = very pretty
<span style="font-style: italic">tear up-tear up</span> = very torn up
<span style="font-style: italic">fus-fus</span> = the very first

sometimes, iteratives may do the opposite and indicate a lessening of the quality
<span style="font-style: italic">yalla-yalla</span> = somewhat yellowish

iteratives also make something familiar. Cassidy uses <span style="font-style: italic">tun-tun</span> to indicate the familiar for turn cornmeal, but i understand it may have a different meaning these days...


here's an example from cassidy of an old man describing how he uses <span style="font-style: italic">god-cotton</span> to cure an earache:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It have lickle-lickle hole-hole, an' you strawn-it-up-strawn-it-up, dip in ile from doctor-shop, an' put it eena you ears - mek corruption run out.</div></div>

[ackeepod]

Re: Batta Batta...

thanks for the lesson ..
the point of the course I took was to show similarities in grammatical structure between the Jacan Patwa and other languages from the Continent(Africa)

...and it sounds like yu got my point . (even tho I wasn't as detailed in my explanation) ..for Adjectives, iteratives indicate intensification...



<span style="font-weight: bold">for adjectives, iteratives indicate intensification (probably the closest to the english concept of superlatives)
</span><span style="font-style: italic">pretty-pretty</span> = very pretty
<span style="font-style: italic">tear up-tear up</span> = very torn up
<span style="font-style: italic">fus-fus</span> = the very first

sometimes, iteratives may do the opposite and indicate a lessening of the quality
<span style="font-style: italic">yalla-yalla</span> = somewhat yellowish

iteratives also make something familiar. Cassidy uses <span style="font-style: italic">tun-tun</span> to indicate the familiar for turn cornmeal, but i understand it may have a different meaning these days...

here's an example from cassidy of an old man describing how he uses <span style="font-style: italic">god-cotton</span> to cure an earache:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">t have lickle-lickle hole-hole, an' you strawn-it-up-strawn-it-up, dip in ile from doctor-shop, an' put it eena you ears - mek corruption run out.</div></div>



[/quote]

[missus_vegas]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CeaBee</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">but the doubled word does not always mean the same thing as the single word </div></div>

like when? </div></div>

dugu is not word but dugu dugu is.

ray is smaddy name. ray ray or ray ray ray is not smaddy name.

same as chacka chacka, and whole heep more.

[CeaBee]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Vegas</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CeaBee</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">but the doubled word does not always mean the same thing as the single word </div></div>

like when? </div></div>

dugu is not word but dugu dugu is.

ray is smaddy name. ray ray or ray ray ray is not smaddy name.

same as chacka chacka, and whole heep more. </div></div>

unnu a mek up tings now

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Batta Batta...

Bumpy-bumpy:
Cabba-cabba:
Labba-labba:
Warra-warra:

[julie*mango]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mrs_Ahmidis</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bumpy-bumpy: <span style="font-weight: bold">A very rough surface</span>
Cabba-cabba: <span style="font-weight: bold">Someone of ill repute</span>
Labba-labba: <span style="font-weight: bold">Excessive chatter</span>
Warra-warra: <span style="font-weight: bold">Said in place of expletives</span>


</div></div>

by di way yu nuh ansa di second set yet

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Batta Batta...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mrs_Ahmidis</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bumpy-bumpy: <span style="font-weight: bold">A very rough surface</span>
Cabba-cabba: <span style="font-weight: bold">Someone of ill repute</span>
Labba-labba: <span style="font-weight: bold">Excessive chatter</span>
Warra-warra: <span style="font-weight: bold">Said in place of expletives</span>


</div></div>

by di way yu nuh ansa di second set yet </div></div>

Den Missis...yu nuh get A-...yu ansa dem good...



<span style="font-style: italic">Back back</span> mean reverse...how yu noh know dat one? Ah ole sumting dat...

[Gen]

Re: Batta Batta...

Sandi i have heard &quot;lay lay&quot; in jamaica

[SandiF]

Re: Batta Batta...

The only time I remember hearing lay-lay is in a Trini soca song.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sandi i have heard &quot;lay lay&quot; in jamaica </div></div>