Learning Jamaican English: Jamaican Accents and Slang Words
Jamaican English was originally closer to British English than American English, such as in the spelling of words. However, due to globalization and the spread of American media, Jamaicans are using more Americanized English. This is more common among the younger generation. For instance, they will say “I don’t have” instead of British-esque “I haven’t got.” Older vocabulary is similar to British English, and newer vocabulary is similar to American. For instance, Jamaicans say “trunk” (American) instead of “boot.” Yet they say “rubbers” instead of “erasers,” and “holidays” instead of “vacations.”
The accent of Jamaican English is inspired by Irish English, but is overall more Caribbean. Their language is also inspired by African words. If you move to Jamaica as an English speaker, you’ll probably have to do some adjusting to their unique pronunciations!
Here is a glossary of many spoken Jamaican terms and slang:
A door: Outdoors
Babylon: Referring to the “system,” or a corrupted establishment (Jamaicans are often distrustful of authority)
Bafan: Clumsy
Balm: refers to an herbal or natural medicinal system
Bammy: a type of Jamaican food, which is deep-friend cassava bread in pancake shape; often served with fish
Bandulu: Some type of fraud
Bankra: Big basket
Bashment: Party
Beast: Policeman
Bissy: Cola nut, often used as medicine
Braata: A little extra of something
Bud: Bird
Cepes: A beard
Chimmy: A chamber pot
Cho cho: A root, similar to potato, often eaten in Jamaica
Coil: Money
Craven: Greedy
Darkers: Sunglasses
Dally: Riding from side to side (zig-zag) while biking or riding a motor scooter
Downpressor: An oppressor
Doti: Earth
Duppy: Evil spirit; ghost
Fassy: Skin sores
Fi: Possessive
First Light: Tomorrow
Gansey: Shirt
Gates: Home, front or back yard
Gi: Give
Hail: A greeting
Hard ears: Stubborn
I-Ney: A greeting
Inna: In the
Irie: Cool; sweet
Ital: Organic; pure; no preservatives
Ja, Jam-Down: Jamaica
Janga: Cray Fish
Jelly: Meat in a young coconut
John Crow: A scavenger bird species found throughout Jamaica
Kinpuppalick: A somersault
Ku Ya!: Look here!
Labrish: Gossip
Maca: Thorns
Maga Dog: Mongrel
Mampi: Overweight
More Time: See you later
Mento: The original folk music that went on to inspire calypso and reggae
Nyam: To eat
Pappy show: Anything that looks ridiculous
Pinda: Peanut
Rat-bat: Bat
Ryal: Royal
Saltfish: Cod
Sanfi: Someone is is manipulative or dishonest
Screw: To scowl or be angry
Sheg-Up: Ruined
Su-su: Gossip
Topanoris: An upper class snobby person
Uptown: Upper class
Wa Mek?: Why?
Zion: Ethiopia, which is considered the holy land in Rastafarianism
This is good but you spell SAMFI as SANFI. You may correct that. I do not know what I-ney is. Never heard of it or the cepes. Congratulations, it is a good list of translation.
Hi thanks for doing that. I”m from jamaica, left there 30 years ago at pre-teen age. A lot of what you said is really not so unless new words were invented since I left. I also visit every few years and still haven’t heard some of them. Remember, Jamaicans speak English, that is just street slang just like us here in The United States, they don’t all speak proper English. Jamaicans don’t write “patwa” they write proper English, it is indeed the official language there. The teachers in shool, the news report on tv all the ‘important’ people like Government and well educated people speak english.Please let that be known. When i lived there , my parents taught us proper english. Good looking out though…planning on moving back soon too btw.