Using Patwah/Patios to straighten out the kids... It has power...

[Xavier]

So I know many of you can relate to this...This week I was walking in my neighborhood..when I hear a lady say to a little boy.."Don't go there." Little boy walks away. "I said don't go there." He continues to walk away. "Mi seh nuh guh deh." The little boy stops in his track and turns back as his Jamaican mother gives a real order...the kid may be American but he knows what is next right after his mother bust out in patwah...dwl

My kids witness the whole things and laughed...they said my wife and I do this all the time and don't even realize it.

[goldilocks]

I do that too, even to the dog! There is just something about the patois that capture their attention.

[CeaBee]

My indian neighbour does it too. She talk to her child in english and him doan pay her no mind and she switch languages and him turn round same time and look at her.

It may be the combination of the tone of voice and the language? I think that in a situation like that my tone will be much sharper and maybe even louder..because is not all the time they understand all of what i said in patwa .. but they still respond ...(they understand most of it but I'm told by patwa speaking family that I'm a "fast talker" )

[j-kid]

Yuh right, mi daughters look back an laugh at it now, but dem kno wen dem was small it was situation suicidal, wen di patwa drop, or dem look ova an si dat special look inna mi two yeyes dem.

[Peasie]

Oh yes. Did this to my children. They now think it was charming I persevere with my English then Patois to give orders to dog, fly, bee, computer, tech support [fill in the blank] dat bodda bodda mi.