West Indian Accents

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents



I am going to have to listen to this about 6 times before I understand every word. The 2nd guy is clear but the first guy is just about impossible to understand.

The subtitles are not accurate. For example:

de cow gawn-gawn does not mean the cow was traumatized.

What is a makabush?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Click to reveal.. <input type="button" class="form-button" value="Show me!" onclick="toggle_spoiler(this, 'Yikes, my eyes!', 'Show me!')" /></div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div style="display: none;">Never mind my mom just explained is ANY bush maka (prickles) come off of. </div></div></div>

Do you have any more like this? I clearly need the practice.

[makabush]

Re: West Indian Accents

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


What is a makabush?

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I thought you were joking with me. Maka is definitely a word you need to know.

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents

I know the word Maka....but I had never heard the word makabush. Anyway bring some more tape come noh man. Mi need de practice.

[makabush]

Re: West Indian Accents

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know the word Maka....but I had never heard the word makabush. Anyway bring some more tape come noh man. Mi need de practice. </div></div>

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Da wahn ya ab patwa ahn wahn nex wahn de...kulcha!

[makabush]

Re: West Indian Accents

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

de cow gawn-gawn does not mean the cow was traumatized.
</div></div>

You did not hear what he said. Him se di cao ova de gwaan gwaan...

that is the power of patwa. You can take 10 english words and condense the feeling down into 2 or 3 patwa expressions

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents

Exactly. I love the guy speaking Twi but I am wondering if the host was accurate. There was post slavery migration to Jamaica and the immigrants settled in St. Thomas. That is how games like Wari came to Jamaica....not through our slave ancestors. I am wondering if he is the descendent of one of those immigrants rather than the Maroons. More to come about this if I can find an independent source.

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents

The Immigration of Africans into the British Caribbean

The movement of ex-slaves from the plantations after Emancipation in 1838 led to a labour shortage in the British West Indian colonies, especially British Guiana and Trinidad. Therefore, immigration of indentured labourers was encouraged. One of the options was African indentured immigration. The British government supported the idea because it was one way of finding 'permanent settlement' for Liberated Africans who were being sheltered at Sierra Leone and St Helena at its expense. These Liberated Africans had been freed from slaveships captured by the British in their anti-slave trade campaign.

African immigration was desirable in 1840 because East Indian immigration had been suspended. The immigration of Europeans was prohibited in 1841 because of their high mortality. Madeiran Portuguese immigration was also unwelcome for the same reason.

In 1840, the British Government legally permitted emigration from Sierra Leone to the West Indies. It should be noted that migration of Africans in small numbers had started before this date. However, the British government was encouraged to permit emigration partly because some Africans had expressed their desire to journey to the West Indies. After consultation with Lord Russell, the British Government allowed Liberated Africans to proceed to British Guiana, Trinidad and Jamaica. In March 1841, one year later, Lord Russell advised the British Government to direct the emigration process.

Consequently, Govern-ment Immigration Agents were employed. Rules were created to guide procedure and organisation of African emigration. In addition, Immigration Ordinances were passed in the colonies. Eligible African emigrants had to be either African citizens or Liberated Africans from slavers. Liberated Africans were subtly pressurised into emigrating by the deliberate creation of certain laws. Ships were required to have surgeons. Regulations were made for the 'provisioning of ships' and for maintaining the health of the emigrants. Only one female emigrant was allowed to every two men on board the ship. In the first year of emigration under British supervision small numbers were involved. British Guiana received 1,733 immigrants, Trinidad received 170, and Jamaica received 686. The numbers later decreased because of the dismal reports given by returning headmen who had accompanied the African emigrants to the West Indies. In addition, employers and missionaries in Sierra Leone discouraged the emigration of Liberated Africans. The low ratio of females who were allowed to migrate did not encourage African males to do so either. Shortly afterwards, a Report of the Select Committee on the West Coast of Africa was submitted which was very influential in determining migration policy. This committee indicated that there were enough Liberated Africans to support emigration. Gambia had 1500, while Sierra Leone had 40,000 Liberated Africans. The committee concluded that it would benefit the resident African as well as the Liberated African to travel to the West Indies to work as indentured labourers. It also discussed the possibility of the revival of the slave trade and advised that the British colonies pay for free return passages of African emigrants to the West Indies. Tight control of government agencies over emigration was also recommended. These suggestions were made to prevent the revival of the slave trade through African immigration.

http://www.landofsixpeoples.com/news02/ns206206.htm

Indentured African immigrants entered the Caribbean in the following numbers: 13, 970 to British Guiana; 10,000 to Jamaica; 8,390 to Trinidad; 1,540 to Grenada; 1,040 to St Vincent; 730 to St Lucia; and 460 to St. Kitts. Where did these African immigrants originate? 400 came from the Kru (Kroo) Coast, 16,290 from St. Helena, and 15,630 from Sierra Leone. Of these the most interesting group hailed from the Kru Coast.

[makabush]

Re: West Indian Accents

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Exactly. I love the guy speaking Twi but I am wondering if the host was accurate. There was post slavery migration to Jamaica and the immigrants settled in St. Thomas. That is how games like Wari came to Jamaica....not through our slave ancestors. I am wondering if he is the descendent of one of those immigrants rather than the Maroons. More to come about this if I can find an independent source. </div></div>

There has always been a language spoken by maroons that is distinctly less english oriented. It has to do with WHEN the maroons escaped. Many of the original maroons that escaped were 1st generation africans, meaning they actually came over on a slave ship. Therefore, the original Ghanan culture was very strong within the Maroon community. For example, Nanny of the Maroons was born in Ghana. It is not a coincidence that we also have Cudjoe and Kwako as maroon generals. Kojo is the Akan name for males born on monday. And Kwako for those born on wednesday.

The Akan culture was still strong. In fact the word Quashie and Kwesi are also Akan names. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akan_names

In any case, this has been long documented. The St. Thomas Nigerians are in no way related to this.

[mountaingal]

Re: West Indian Accents

a bet a waan bull (insteada cow) weh buck di poor man kill im. on the other hand, big up to all goshen ppl dem - mi have generation live deh. :

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: makabush</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

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[makabush]

Re: West Indian Accents

Well, if it was a bull, I feel sorry for them because they were trying to use the calf to catch it! I don't think bulls care about their young.

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents

I understand that they are not related but since it was said this guy uses the language to communicate with his grandparents from Africa, I doubt this would have been pre-emancipation.

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents

Sound like one rolling calf to me.

[Tropicana]

Re: West Indian Accents

By the way this is Gail Vaz-Oxlade who inspired this discussion.....I thought she was Irish but she is Jamaican...I couldn't understand why she sounded Jamaican when evah she get vex. She is fabulous. I love her:

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On this one after 06:40 she says &quot;I come from Back a Yad... I am Jamaican&quot;.

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Does she sound Jamaican when she is not vex to you?

[mountaingal]

Re: West Indian Accents

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: makabush</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, if it was a bull, I feel sorry for them because they were trying to use the calf to catch it! I don't think bulls care about their young. </div></div>

u are very right maka. mi lissen again more carefully to di first man, and heard the confirmation that it was a &quot;madda cow&quot;.

reminds me of going home, usually takes a couple days before my ears get fully attuned and can pick up the patwa dem speak round those parts a st. bess. my cousins in particular talk very much like the first man, fast and sharp.

the way the second man talk sounds like he's a very laid back fellow. mi love the way him seh &quot;mi nain know seh him bad&quot;. i dont know if its only bessians seh <span style="font-style: italic">nain</span> for never, but mi know seh is primarily us weh use <span style="font-style: italic">him</span> when we mean he or she.

thanks for posting this. makes me homesick.

[mountaingal]

Re: West Indian Accents

da video ya sweet me no lie. see the real transcript (not a translation) below, courtesy of a utube user.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: makabush</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

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1st witness - a last week sat'deh a roun inna di four tirty 'ours right on di (inaudible) district
me hear d cow coming dung on di rd an a buyer cum fi buy di cow but dey could not ketchy cow so, same time now di cow and di cyaaf coming down now and some more cow and same time di&amp;#65279; likkle man weh cum fi buy di cow now seh wi muss hol' aan so mi hol aan now and di cow&amp;#65279; di madda cow jump over di wire now and dem (inaudible) ketchy cyaaf and cyaar him over di cow farm over here so and (inadible) over yah suh now, gwaan and gwaan until dis mawning now when me up so now (inaudible) me see cow buck dung di owna fi it...

2nd witness: a waa simple likkle cow enuh mi neh know seh ee ee bad fa im nuh look like ee bad. yeam im mey have waa llikkle pieca rope roun ee neck mi nuh know ef a hol ee hol ee rope or a wah im duh mi nuh know how di cow get fi buck him wen me cum and look - ee look like seh im ram im haan inna im neck oe wah - mi nuh know if a cut ee cut ee ee neck wid di haan but&amp;#65279; me see blood a cum an me co see cheva hol him up.

1st witness: - dat is calvin bredda an law di cow mek fi buck dung after im buck dung calvin ee buss fi him pants foot tuh and graze him pan im knee im went round pon di next street roun dere suh now and deh suh now im buck atta waa next man name kings james buck atta him and im tek him machete and chap him and&amp;#65279; im bolt inna di bush over suh now so all now nobody nuh seem fram dat,