tabanca - "the forlorn feeling that one gets, when a love affair is over".....Cote ce, Cote la

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We Neighbours

OUR CARIBBEAN NEIGHBOURS

One family......divided by sea! These are the islanders of the Caribbean. We share the same warm Tradewinds, the blue Caribean Sea, and the hot Tropic Sun. We are all warm, funloving, friendly people....Come learn more about our neighbours at these sites!

NOT BECAUSE..........

Not because we are neighbours it follows that we speak the same. For us it's difficult enough to understand each other...imagine for a Canadian tourist...

CANADIAN: Excuse me little girl, can I fit in there?
JAMAICAN: Hey, pickney, small up youself!
TRINI: smallie, gimmeh ah pass dey
BAJAN: Scotch rung!

CANADIAN: That woman is overweight.
JAMAICAN: Lawd, look how she fat and spread out like mash bullfrog.
TRINI: Oh jeesan, dah woman realllll fat
BAJAN: You she big as shite ya.

CANADIAN: You are such an attractive woman.
JAMAICAN: Gal you look like fresh vegetable.
TRINI: darlin, yuh lookin real good
BAJAN: psssstt my friend.

CANADIAN: I really would like for us to be intimate.
JAMAICAN: Gal mi wan be wid you.
TRINI: chek nah, ah wan tuh breed yuh
BAJAN: ya gunna gimme peice or wha?

CANADIAN: There are a lot of men out there, that I can date besides you.
JAMAICAN: Tree no grow inna my face yu know.
TRINI: Real men chek fuh me
BAJAN: When one door shut anudder one does open.

CANADIAN: He is such a womanizer.
JAMAICAN: Him walk bout like dawg, every light post him si him haffi stap.
TRINI: Hees ah real sweetman
BAJAN: Heez de man.

CANADIAN: You really should get him out of your life dear.
JAMAICAN: Dat de man jus a block traffic, tell him fi ease off.
TRINI: Done dat man oui
BAJAN: Ya should leff he raaaaassshole!!!

CANADIAN: He is such a kind, sensitive man.
JAMAICAN: Him a saawfas man.
TRINI: Heez a sorfman
BAJAN: Heez a buller!!!

CANADIAN: You have a crumb on your face, dear.
JAMAICAN: You look like when fowl come from mango walk.
TRINI:Yuh have ting on yuh face
BAJAN: Uh uuuh!!! Was dat on ya face???

CANADIAN: Oh, I see you are entering puberty.
JAMAICAN: How you face bumpy-bumpy like grater so?
TRINI: Yuh face real juk up
BAJAN: Ya face look like a ripe sour-sop.

CANADIAN: Honestly, I don't know the answer.
JAMAICAN: Ah wah you a bodda me guthole fa?
TRINI: I eh know
BAJAN: WHA???

CANADIAN: Hors d'heurves
JAMAICAN: Ah wah dis yah likkle sinting you a gi me?
TRINI: Wey de food?
BAJAN: Horse Derves.

CANADIAN: Casserole
JAMAICAN: Putto-putto
TRINI: Pelau
BAJAN: Cou-Cou

CANADIAN: Aeroplane
JAMAICAN: Silver bird
TRINI: Tri Star
BAJAN: Bwee

CANADIAN: Bank teller
JAMAICAN: Bank clark
TRINI:Big wok
BAJAN: Tellar

CANADIAN: Taxi
JAMAICAN: Robot
TRINI:maxi
BAJAN: ZR

CANADIAN: Speed bumps
JAMAICAN: Sleeping Policeman
TRINI: Road humps
BAJAN: Road bumps

CANADIAN: He looks upset
JAMAICAN: Him have screwface
TRINI: Dat man real vex
BAJAN: He real screwpouch ya

 

A GUYANESE WRITES HER SON........

 

Dear Beta (son),
    Just a few lines to let you know that I'm still alive. I'm writing slowly because I know you cannot read fast. You won't know the house when you come home.     We've moved.     I won't be able to send you the new address as the last Guyanese family that lived here took the numbers with them so they wouldn't have to change their address at their new house.
About your father... he has a lovely new job. He has now over 1500 new men under him. He is cutting grass at La Repentir Cemetery.
There was a washing machine in the new home when we moved in, but it isn't working too good. Last week I put 14 shirts into it, pulled the chain, and I haven't seen the shirts since.
Your sister, Parbattie, had a baby this morning. I haven't found out whether it is a boy or a girl, so I don't know if you're an aunt or uncle.
Your uncle, Bharose, drowned last week in a vat of XM rum at the distillery.
Some of his fellow workers dived in to save him, but he fought them off bravely. We cremated his body, and it took three days to put out the fire.
Your father didn't have much to drink at Christmas. I put a bottle of castor oil in his XM flattie. It kept him going until New Year.
I went to the doctor on Thursday and your father came with me. The doctor put a small tube in my mouth and told me not to open for 10 minutes. Your father offered to buy it from him.
It only rained twice last week. First for four days, and then for three days.
 Monday it was so windy that one of our chickens laid the same egg four times.
We had a letter yesterday from the undertaker. He said if the last installment wasn't paid on your nanee's in seven days ... up she comes.
Love - Mammy
PS: I was to send you $10.00 but I already sealed the envelope.

 

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