Jamaican Patois
This essay will be an overview on the Jamaican Patois. There will be an analysis of the relationship between this creole and the jamaican official national language. Then it will explain briefly some phonological and grammatical aspect of this variety.
JAMAICAN PATOIS: DE FACTO LANGUAGE OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
1. INTRODUCTION
Jamaican Patois is a creole language spoken in Jamaica and in a part of the caribbean area (U.S.A, Puerto Rico, Panama and Costa Rica). It is called Jamaican Creole by specialists and it should not be confused with the other language spoken on the island, Jamaican English, wich is grammatically similar to Standard English and is also the official language of the nation.
2. FROM PIDGIN TO CREOLE
Of course Jamaican Patois has a strong English influence but presents elements from Portuguese and Spanish and similarities with the pidgin and creole languages of West Africa. Pronunciation and vocabulary are significantly different from english although it uses a large part of this language lexicon: this is a natural consequence of the situation created in the 17th century, when slaves from Africa had to adapt to the dialect forms of English spoken by their masters. Over the years the pidgin language that had originated among the slaves evolved and became a native language so it is called creole.
3. LANGUAGE VARIATION
Before the analysis of the main linguistic aspect of this creole it’s important to take a look at the diaphasic and diamesic components that regulate the alternation between the two linguistic registers used on the carribean island. Jamaican Patois is used every day as a spoken language by people in informal situations or with family. Jamaican English instead is the language of the media, government, education, and official communications. On the island the literacy reaches 88% and in this linguistic state it’s clear that most of the speakers are bilingual. As it has been said Standard English is used for the majority of
JAMAICAN PATOIS: DE FACTO LANGUAGE OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
1. INTRODUCTION
Jamaican Patois is a creole language spoken in Jamaica and in a part of the caribbean area (U.S.A, Puerto Rico, Panama and Costa Rica). It is called Jamaican Creole by specialists and it should not be confused with the other language spoken on the island, Jamaican English, wich is grammatically similar to Standard English and is also the official language of the nation.
2. FROM PIDGIN TO CREOLE
Of course Jamaican Patois has a strong English influence but presents elements from Portuguese and Spanish and similarities with the pidgin and creole languages of West Africa. Pronunciation and vocabulary are significantly different from english although it uses a large part of this language lexicon: this is a natural consequence of the situation created in the 17th century, when slaves from Africa had to adapt to the dialect forms of English spoken by their masters. Over the years the pidgin language that had originated among the slaves evolved and became a native language so it is called creole.
3. LANGUAGE VARIATION
Before the analysis of the main linguistic aspect of this creole it’s important to take a look at the diaphasic and diamesic components that regulate the alternation between the two linguistic registers used on the carribean island. Jamaican Patois is used every day as a spoken language by people in informal situations or with family. Jamaican English instead is the language of the media, government, education, and official communications. On the island the literacy reaches 88% and in this linguistic state it’s clear that most of the speakers are bilingual. As it has been said Standard English is used for the majority of
References: Patrick, Peter L - 2004 – Chapter “Jamaican Creole morphology and syntax” from “A handbook of varietes of English, Vol.2 morphology and syntax.” Dufreny Chantal and Turral Jessica – 2006 – “Patois.” Power Point presentation for the University of the West Indies Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy. http://www.ethnologue.com/country/JM http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/herbold.html http://portal.uni-freiburg.de/angl/seminar/abteilungen/sprachwissenschaft/ls_mair/research/projects/ice-ja/english_in_ja http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Patois http://www.myspace.com/bruskeraproject/blog/516054035 http://trickster.lettere.unipd.it/doku.php?id=lingue_future:mazzoli_creoli