It's easy to take your culture and way of life for granted, and to think there's nothing unique about the way you speak as a people. We Bajans have our own way of expressing ourselves, and I'm sure visitors probably wonder what the heck we're saying.
Anyhoo, I thought it would be useful to add a daily segment on how to speak like a Bajan. You never know, it might come in handy....
A.
"arite den". This is said when you're in agreement with something, e.g: "Arite den you know de ting" (yeah, true). It also has other uses like "Arite den I gine hear ya lata" (Ok, I'll hear you later).
B.
Bashment! - Cool!
Bad-behave - naughty, wicked (of a child) e.g: He so bad-behave (He is so naughty, wicked).
Bad talk someone- to say negative things about someone behind the person's back
Back chat- an insolent response from a child to an adult
To back stab- to talk about one's friends negatively behind their backs
Backstabber - someone who talks negatively about one's friends behind their backs
A Bajan- a Barbadian, i.e someone from Barbados
Baje- a shortened form of "Bajan"
Barrifle- a lot e.g: You talking a barrifle o'nonsense- You are talking a lot of nonsense
Bashy- used to describe something that's cool. E.g: your car look so bashy!!
Bassa-bassa- commotion, fight
De Belly - diarrhea e.g: Dat shrimp salad geh me de belly (That shrimp salad gave me diarrhea)
Bim- a nickname for Barbados
To big up someone- to give someone a shout out
Boek- Exclamation
To get bound - to get constipated
Bout- about
Bozie- A typical sentence ending. e.g. Not me bozie (Not me at all!)
Source - Dictionary of Bajan Slang
2 comments:
This is an excellent idea. I have had great difficulty understanding Bajan on my past trips to Barbados (to the point that I gave it up).
It would be cool if you included the pronunciation of the words as well.
o wow my dad is from barbados is this HOW he talk broken engles REPRESENTING BAJANS ALL DAY
Post a Comment