What is the meaning of the word Deh?

[Tropicana]

Seeit deh? = See it there. Deh = There.

Im naw deh-deh.= He is not there? Deh = There. Deh=Is?

But:

A whe it deh? = Where is it? So what does Deh mean in that context? Is?

[Xavier]

Seeit deh? = See it there. Deh = There.

Im naw deh-deh.= He is not there? Deh = There. Deh=Is?

But:

A whe it deh? = Where is it? So what does Deh mean in that context? Is?

It could be a word with a double meaning like some English words. Example - You are right...Please make a right turn here..

[Tropicana]

It seems to have a double meaning. Sometimes it seems to mean:

- there

and sometimes it seems to mean:

- Is

[Xavier]

It seems to have a double meaning. Sometimes it seems to mean:

- there

and sometimes it seems to mean:

- Is

As I think about it there may be more that 2 meanings

Mi deh pon di wuk - I am here at my job

Wha yuh deh pon - What is going on

Im deh bout de place - He is around the area

We Jamaicans are ingenious...the create only double meaning words in other languages but we create "multiple" meaning words

[Tropicana]

Mi deh pon di wuk - I am here at my job Deh = here?

Wha yuh deh pon - What is going on Deh = Is?

Im deh bout de place - He is around the area Deh = Is?

So patois has multi-purpose words that don't end in cloth....LOLOL Mi nevah did know.

[Xavier]

Mi deh pon di wuk - I am here at my job Deh = here?

Wha yuh deh pon - What is going on Deh = Is?

Im deh bout de place - He is around the area Deh = Is?

So patois has multi-purpose words that don't end in cloth....LOLOL Mi nevah did know.

Tropicana good points...you seem you like could teach a patois class

[Tropicana]

I am still working on mastering the accent.

As I meet more and more relatives, some of them have accents so thick you can cut them with a knife. You should hear the ones from the hills of Clarendon....they sound like they are going up and down the hill.

Oh and as for the drop h business.

Even some of them who have been in North America forever have not lost their accents...well the men anyway.

[Tropicana]

Oh what about the compound word:

- deh-deh

Please use it in a number of sentences and let's decode it together.


Two more who gwan like dem noh ave NO sense LOLOL Dillinger looks sensible for about 6 seconds when he is silent. Love his music.

Anyway he says anywhere you go run tings deh-deh? 2:13

Translation, anywhere you go run things is there?

So the compound world "deh-deh" seems to mean:

"is there".

[Tropicana]

Consulted the Dictionary of Jamaican English

Here is what it says:

Deh = See De

De - has 4 separate entries

De¹
1. there Obeah dung de
2. Passing into De³ interpreted as adverb (there) or verb (to be) Me nevah de in di church. I am never at the church

De²
To, Towards (following a verb of direction)

Go de Lang Pan fe watah. Go to Long Pond for water

De³
Takes the place of the omitted verb to be (From African - Twi word dè)


Tax man deh pon mi.

John Crow sey im de dandy man wen im ava so-so feddah.

De⁴
1. As an auxillary verb of durative or progressive action (de + a verb = to be + present people
wha mek dem de sey so Why do they keep on saying so.


2. Expressing intention, determination, certainty. Also going to.
Im de go do it

Mi de kom I am coming.

Mi cyan manage it. My head is spinning.


Deh-Deh = See Day-Day

Day-Day A childish expression for good-bye

That couldn't be right. I think the dictionary is broken. I am afraid to check the urban dictionary.

[Tropicana]

I just checked the urban dictionary.




I promised myself I would never go back there.