Virgin Islands Creole

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Virgin Islands Creole
Spoken in: U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands
Total speakers: >100,000
Language family: English Creole
 Virgin Islands Creole
Language codes
ISO 639-1: none
ISO 639-2: none
ISO 639-3: —

 

Virgin Islands Creole is an English-based creole dialect spoken in the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.

Virgin Islands Creole is not to be confused with Negerhollands, a Dutch-based creole that was once spoken in the Danish West Indies, now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Contents

[edit] History

In the present-day U.S. Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands Creole came about when slaves in the Danish West Indies who were unable to communicate with each other due to being taken from different regions of West Africa with different languages, created an English-based dialect with a West African-based sentence structure in order to communicate. This English-based dialect formed throughout the 18th and 19th century on St. Croix, as the Dutch-based Negerhollands (which was widely spoken on St. Thomas and St. John at the time) was dying out. British occupation of the Danish West Indies from 1801 to 1802 and 1807 to 1815, as well as the preference for English as a trade and business language in the busy port of Charlotte Amalie, helped establish the English-based creole over Negerhollands. By the end of the 19th century, the English-based dialect completely replaced Negerhollands (now a dead language) as the native dialect of the U.S. Virgin Islands. There was a small but continued use of Negerhollands well into the 20th century.

Virgin Islands Creole developed in the present-day British Virgin Islands as well. With both territories sharing a common "Virgin Islands culture", similar history based on colonial domination and slavery, and even common bloodlines in some cases, it was inevitable that the creole would be spoken (although with slight variations) in both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

In one form or the other, Virgin Islands Creole still exists today as the native dialect of the Virgin Islands. The dialect is similar to other Anglophone Caribbean dialects in countries such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas and Jamaica.

[edit] Language Use

Virgin Islands Creole is strictly an informal form of communication and is a constantly changing dialect peppered with various slang terms and expressions. Virgin Islands Creole does not have the status of an official language. The language of government, education and the media is American English in the U.S. Virgin Islands and British English in the British Virgin Islands. In the Virgin Islands, standard English and Virgin Islands Creole both function in a fairly diglossic relationship with English as the language of high prestige and formality and Virgin Islands Creole as the spoken vernacular. Native Virgin Islanders can easily switch from English to Virgin Islands Creole depending on their mood, subject matter, or the person they are speaking to.

The majority of Virgin Islanders speak Virgin Islands Creole. However, due to immigration from the rest of the Caribbean and the continental United States, there are some Virgin Islands residents who are not fluent in speaking the dialect. Most non-native longtime residents can understand Virgin Islands Creole when it is spoken to them.

In the Virgin Islands, the term "Virgin Islands Creole" is rarely used. It is strictly a formal description of the dialect and is not used in an everyday colloquial sense. Instead, Virgin Islanders tend to refer to the dialect by their individual island (i.e. "Crucian dialect", "Thomian dialect", "Tortolian dialect", etc...).

As with other Caribbean creoles, proverbs are prevalent in Virgin Islands Creole. However, in 2004, a linguistic study group in cooperation with the University of Puerto Rico’s Rio Piedras campus found that many old Crucian proverbs, common among older generations, have faded away among many young Crucians.[1]

As with other Caribbean creoles, Virgin Islands Creole is generally an unwritten idiom, and no standard spelling system exists. Writers who attempt to represent it use English orthography (see below).

[edit] Virgin Islands Creole-to-English translations

[edit] Phrases/Expressions

  • Meeno – (me aint know) I don't know
  • Wha you sayin – what's up
  • Blak; (Block) To ignore
  • Hail up – hi, hello
  • Ya – here (St. Croix)
  • Heh – here (St. Thomas, St. John, BVI)
  • Cyan – cannot
  • Safe – all right, or okay
  • Whe pa' he/she/you deh? – Where is/are he/she/you?
  • Whe' he/she/you deh? – Where is/are he/she/you?
  • Deh deh – It is here/It is there (St. Croix)
  • He/she ain deh deh – He/she isn't there (St. Croix)
  • I/he/she gone to come back – I/he/she left and am/is returning shortly
  • I/he/she deh ya – I/he/she am/is here (St. Croix)
  • Come ya – come here (St. Croix)
  • Come heh – come here (St. Thomas, St. John, BVI)
  • I's – I am
  • Ine - means I aint or I dont/didnt (Ine gah none... I don't have any....Ine see dem.... I didn't see them)
  • You's – you are
  • Ahyou – you all
  • Eat me out – Annoying/Aggravating, as in "boy you does eat me out!"
  • Kill me dead – Hilarious/ Very funny as in "da one had kill me dead!"
  • Deh – there
  • Dem – them (can also be added at the end of any noun to make it plural, as in "de hass dem")
  • De' – the - as in "see de' tings dem rite deh" (the things are right there)
  • Dat – that
  • Das – that is
  • Dah – that
  • Ting – thing
  • Tek – take
  • Mek – make
  • Wha – what
  • Geh – get, or have
  • Cah – because (never used on its own, only used in conjunction with order words)
  • Faarm- (Farm) Use to describe something
  • Fetch – used similarly to “faarm”
  • Move from ya – go away (St. Croix)
  • Geh from heh – go away (St. Thomas, St. John, BVI)
  • Nah – no
  • Clear – light-skinned (similar to the term "red-bone" used by American Southern Blacks to describe light-skinned Black persons)
  • Ih – it, as in "ih real hot outside" (it is really hot outside)
  • Ah – of, as in "I geh two ah dem" (I have two of them)
  • Ah nex – another, as in "I geh ah nex one" (I have another one)
  • Vex – upset (vex is also an English word, but it is used much more often in Virgin Islands Creole than in standard English)
  • Tief – to steal
  • Jook/Chook – to stab or poke
  • Schupid – stupid
  • Parah – crazy, paranoid
  • Taytay – man with gay tendencies
  • Bus' off – to leave
  • Peel out - to leave very quickly
  • Qaul - shortened form of "quarrel"; ie Wha yo quallin fa? (What are you quarelling about)
  • Bun tyas - to make skid marks with the tires of a car
  • Cahn – marijuana
  • Bun – to smoke, usually refers to smoking marijuana
  • Wuk up – to dance (usually specific to calypso or soca music)
  • Breeding – the state of being pregnant
  • Breed – to impregnate
  • Dealin – when a couple is not yet officially dating, but are on their way to be; the equivalent to the stateside phrase "talking"
  • Deh Togeda - (there together), St. Croix, a couple is officially dating
  • Mahgah/Meeguh – meager, extremely skinny
  • All ah we – all of us
  • Cheese and bread – (OR jeez-um-bread) a remark of surprise
  • Eh eh – a remark of surprise
  • Mehson – literally "my son," commonly used at the beginning or ends of sentences, akin to the American English slang use of "oh, man!"
  • Deh man – use is similar to "mehson."
  • Azman – I agree; ie Someone says “Dah fetch hot today mehson.” (It is hot today.) If you agree that it is hot you would respond by saying “Azman”
  • Yuh chek? – asked at the end of a sentence, akin to saying "you know?"
  • Chek you latah – see you later
  • Uh huh pampa leh-leh – a remark made by school children when another student has gotten in trouble
  • Coo-coo – the act of defecation, or feces (commonly said by children)
  • Rample – to mess up, as in "Don' rample up de bed I mek up, mehson!"
  • Quelbe – official music of the U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Quadrille – native dance of the Virgin Islands
  • Bahn ya – literally "born here," a commonly used phrase in Virgin Islands society, used by some to determine whether someone is or is not a "native Virgin Islander." For example, someone might say "my parents are from Antigua, but I'm a Virgin Islander, because I bahn ya!"
  • Bam! – said after someone has made a stupid joke. Primarily used on St. Croix, its usage is not as common in recent years.
  • Wraut up – cursed out
  • Lyah – liar
  • Ah good! – serves you right (St. Croix)
  • Ihs good! – serves you right (St. Thomas)
  • Seerias!-serious im not joking
  • Foh true? – you serious?
  • You sick de man? – are you crazy?
  • Chek yah – come here
  • Watch yah! – look at this. Term of endearment used before, after, or during an argument. (St. Croix)
  • Ignohrant – one who gets "vex" quick.
  • Gahn een – someone who is crazy; lost their mind.
  • Lime/Limin – location of a party or hangout; hanging out.
  • Pickin Whelks – wearing pants with pant legs that are obviously too short.
  • Disgustin – being extremely playful; harassing
  • Mos Defenetly – that is true; in high agreement with.
  • Neva Dat – never, ever (a instant reaction or response)
  • Nah Dat Deh – no sir
  • Self – often used in conjunction with a pronoun, (i.e. me'en self know, meaning "I don't know, myself")
  • Jokey – silly, often used to describe someone who is not serious
  • Bazzidy – not thinking straight/acting logically (more as a consequence of being distracted from being in love)
  • Bag-up – Grounded, in punishment
  • Lixs – a beating
  • Baxide – Butt or ass. Like saying kick his butt
  • Baahnah- another name for Butt or ass.
  • Bun – means to be cheated on or to have caught a clapse
  • My boy or my girl – is used to acknowledge a friend
  • Poke chile – means to fool a man into thinking the baby is his
  • Kyard / Hard Kyard – means to cheat on your spouse or lover
  • Diff'rently; (differently) means that the person agrees with what you are saying or appreciates a compliment
  • Kriss - very good, perfect
  • Lee - means to leave (I gahn lee ah you: I am leaving) OR (Lee di ting alone: Leave it alone)(St. Thomas, St. John, BVI)
  • Koolin - relaxing (I juss heh koolin - I'm just relaxing.)
  • Oh Lawd - means Oh Lord
  • Oh Gawd - means Oh God
  • Fo true - means Is that the truth?
  • wha mek -why ("Wha mek you do dat?"-Why did you do that?)
  • coonoomoonoo- a fool

[edit] Nouns

  • Chil'ren dem – children
  • Massive – clique i.e. Crucian Massive, Valley Massive, North Side Massive, Round de Field Massive, Thomas ville Massive, etc.
  • Muddah – mother
  • Fahddah – father
  • Nene – godmother
  • Pepe – godfather
  • Gongolo – millipede
  • Gyul/gyal – girl
  • Pussman – a male player
  • Kyat – player of either sex (but primarily used for males)
  • Yankee/Cont'nental – a person from the United States
  • Gahrot/Gyasso/Islo – Gahrot originally a reference to a person from Antigua but generally means a person originally from another Eastern Caribbean island not including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands (down islander). The term is used as a slight originating in "garrot bird", a crow; Gyasso is from garcon a French patois speaker while local poor white French were referred to as Cha Cha folk.
  • Papa – a person from Puerto Rico
  • Santo/Santo Domingan – a person from the Dominican Republic.
  • Bukra – a White man.
  • Babylon – the United States, the police, or the government
  • The Bob – short form of Babylon but only refers to the United States
  • Chicken fry – fried chicken (USVI)
  • Chicken and chips – fried chicken and french fries (BVI)
  • Lahlah – idle gossip
  • Melee – malicious gossip
  • Licks – spanking (a form of child discipline)
  • Donkey years – many years
  • Science; If someone Happen to Say something out of subject
  • Hass – horse (St. Croix)
  • Cyar – car (St. Croix)
  • Bahnah – a person's behind
  • Foot – consists of the whole leg & thigh area (no specification between the leg or foot. all considered the foot.)
  • Yuh – your as in "wah happen to yuh foot?"
  • Jumbie/ Sokonyah – an evil spirit
  • Mocko Jumbie or Moko Jumbie – a popular carnival figure who is a masked, costumed person on stilts who scares away evil spirits
  • Pardnah – a friend, companion or close associate
  • Quaht – a quarter
  • Bubbla – water fountain (St.Thomas/St.John)
  • Tahmun – tamarind (St. Thomas)
  • Tambrahn – tamarind (St. Croix)
  • Jam – a party
  • Grave yahd – the cemetery
  • Bahss – big man
  • Moomoo – fool as in "das a moomoo"
  • Goonk – an extremely large head (BVI)
  • Mahning (Good Mahning) – Good Morning. Typical greeting among islanders.
  • Gargan/Bigga/Boss/Boss Man – Street reference to one who is well respected.
  • Swatcey-Fat & Slobby
  • Bell- Ditsy, Dumb

[edit] Profane words/expressions

  • Conny: Vagina
  • Rizzla; Joint
  • Buck; Built or smells bad
  • BOOM; A Hard on, An Erection
  • Antiman – a gay person
  • Bud/charlie/wood/peelee – penis
  • Seeds/nuts – testicles
  • Watah – sperm
  • Skin-back charlie – circumcised penis
  • Pum pum/naunee/tun tun/pokey/kyat/cacalax/noh noh/cunnie – vagina
  • Rass – ass
  • Ram-Full, plenty people Example: "The club Ram pack"
  • Ram – euphemism for rass, not as vulgar
  • Sket/skettel – a sexually promiscuous woman
  • Pump – to masturbate
  • Jam – to gyrate on, or dance closely to
  • Muddascunt – literally the Virgin Islands creole pronunciation of "mother's cunt," its use is similar to "motherfucker."
  • Geh yo muddascunt! – a common insult
  • Wife – sex (the act - past, present or future)
  • Bull – to engage in sexual intercourse
  • Shake – to engage in sexual intercourse
  • Bun rice – to pick one's underwear out from between one's buttocks
  • Well sah! You cyan beat a shit like this – being in the state of shock and left with out word
  • Mention:another term for lyin or joker.
  • sauce/poptart- A gay man
  • fagit-punk, homosexual
  • Cock Blak - (cock blocker) usually refers to someone getting in the way of people having sex
  • Well my peace / well my fukin peace - state of shock or disbelief
  • Confusion-Like Trouble

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Differences in prounciation between Virgin Islands Creole and "Standard English"

The prounciation differs from standard English in various ways.

In Virgin Islands Creole, the "th" sound is often omitted from speech, and is replaced by the "t" sound. As with many other Caribbean creoles, the "t" sound in various words is stressed harder than in non-Caribbean forms of English where the "t" sound is more soft.

The vowel pronunciation of Virgin Islands Creole differs from "proper English." For example, the suffix "er" in English — the neutral vowel sound or schwa — is pronounced as "ah" æ (for example: computer is pronounced "computah" [kompu:tæ], and never is pronounced "nevah" [nevæ]). Also, like other Caribbean creoles, there is a simpler set of pronouns than in English, and conjugations occur less often. For example, the English phrase "I gave it to her" would translate to "I give it to she." The "a" sound is often pronounced with the "ah" sound, resulting in a word like "ants" being pronounced "ahnts."

[edit] Differences in prounciation by island

There are many variations between the local speech on St. Croix, St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands. Many examples of these linguisic differences, including the most well-known example - "here", can be found in the previous section.

[edit] See also

[edit] External Links

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