Likkle But Tallawah: Celebrating the Language That Built Us

[J R]

Jamaican Patois 



I wanted to take the time to bring awareness to language, and specifically, a dialect in Jamaica called Patois.

Patois is a mixture of African and English dialects, and its origins trace back to the Atlantic Slave Trade in the 16th century, when Africans were transported to Jamaica.

Since then, Patois has remained a vibrant, expressive part of our culture, widely spoken yet still not an official language in Jamaica.

Some say our Patois might lack precision or structure, that it does not lend itself easily to executive functioning or technical measurement. When we speak Patois, we do not usually speak in terms of five pints of salt or ten kilometers from here.

Instead, we might say “likkle bit of salt” when our Canadian cousin asks how much to add to the rice and peas. Or, when describing our favourite beach that is well within sight, we would say “di beach deh dung di road,” rather than “it is down that road.”

For greater clarity, we might even say “ten minutes from here” instead of “ten kilometres,” perhaps because time feels easier to picture than distance. With Patois, time, though subjective, may be more palatable, while distance feels too fixed and exact.

Our language is colourful, rhythmic, and deeply expressive. You can hear it in our music, feel it in our dances, and see it in the passion of our sports — the same energy that has defined Jamaica across the world.

As we approach National Heroes Day on October 20, I am taking a moment to reflect on our ancestors and the remarkable foundation that Patois has built for us.

1. Have you ever heard a word in another language that says more than English ever could?

2. Does your culture have a phrase that’s hard to translate but full of meaning?

3. How do you think the way we speak shapes how we see the world?

4. Why do you think languages like Patois still matter today?

Let us celebrate the beauty, resilience, and creativity of our language — the heartbeat of who we are.

#NationalHeroesDay #JamaicanPatois #LikkleButTallawah

[Amanda Barber]

Thanks for sharing for Feel Good Friday, @J R - could you perhaps add Feel Good Friday to the title and add a couple of discussion questions to get folks started?

[J R]

Thanks @Amanda Barber , I've created some questions to get people commenting

[Barbara Szczesniak]

My parents and grandparents grew up speaking Polish, and there were many words and phrases that they would use that I think we weren't meant to understand. We did not know the translations, but we got a feel for the kind of situations they would use them in, which allowed us to make up what we thought they meant.

I think languages like Patois matter today because they are a part of the culture of the place and allow people to speak freely in front of those they know will not understand.

[Susan Waldrip]

What a fascinating and creative topic, @J R ! My mother and her father would make up words that described a situation or feeling, I'm not sure some of them could be translated without a longer description but you got the jist of them by the context. I also know people who have made up their own languages to communicate with each other because it was creative and sometimes they didn't want others to understand what they were saying.

I think languages are beautiful and interesting, even if I don't understand what's being said; as @Barbara Szczesniak said, they reflect cultures and provide a wonderful way to learn about those cultures and open our minds about the world. For example, I hadn't heard of Patois until now and I appreciate learning that it exists and something about its structure and your culture -- there's something musical about it!