#Bajanisms

#bajanisms

#bajanisms

A culture. A language.

Volume 1

MAHALIA CUMMINS

BRIDGETOWN BARBADOS

Copyright © 2020 by Mahalia Cummins

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Published by Mahalia Cummins at Smashwords.

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

First Printing, 2020

ISBN 978-976-96341-2-1

www.bajanisms.com

table of contents

de first beginnng

sound authentic

pronunciation

greetings

sentences

verbs

retro & decommissiones

word contrations

colloquial

bajanisms: a list

pronunciation key

about the author

de first beginning

the very start

The native language of the Barbadian people is English. The 'Queen’s English', to be exact.

Yet, if one were to travel across Barbados, one would quickly notice something more prevalent among the people—our own rhyme and rhythm, our own Bajan Dialect.

Bajan, as we call it, is considered a dialect and not an official language. The history of dialects and Creoles in the Caribbean is long and complex and the linguistic background of Bajan dialect is no different. Bajan dialect, like other non-standard language varieties in the Caribbean—and across the world—does not have a standardised written code, yet it is as rich and vibrant as the languages that we consider 'official'.

To an unfamiliar ear, however, Bajan will almost certainly sound like a completely different language. Bajanisms is the term given to the unique elements of our dialect, as well as our embodiment of what it means to be Bajan.

What started as a social media hashtag blossomed into an overwhelming desire to share my culture with the world.

This book seeks to (re)introduce, enlighten and enamour the reader to a language I love, from the place I was born and raised and that will always be home.

Welcome to #bajanisms.

Sound authentic

Most Caribbean accents can sound really similar but a few stand apart. The Bajan accent is one of them. I like to describe our accent as being a little less melodic and more on the percussive side—like drums.

It’s proven quite challenging for people of other nationalities to successfully imitate our speech unless they have been thoroughly marinated in it—and sometimes not even then. So, some of you out there, prepare to have a rough go of it.

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bajan:

Pronounced

Bay-jun

and not

bah-han

pronunciation

The way we pronounce words is super important and one of the things that makes Bajan stand out.