Jamaicanisms

A dear friend of mine and I once started to compose a list of sayings that we thought were peculiar to Jamaica which we dubbed Jamaicanisms. When I repeat them they remind me of the sage wisdom and humor ingrained in my culture and I smile. I want to capture them in text just in case they are in danger of becoming... well forgotten!!

"When chicken merry hawk de near. " Which pickney (child) in Jamaica never hear dis when they were really getting on really bad? Translation:- Over indulging in merriment is often followed by very sobering circumstances.

"Sorry fi mawga dwag, mawga dwag, mawga dwag tun roun bite you!" Yup another prediction of dire straits to come. This one I think needs to be first literally translated for my foreign friends - If you sympathize with a thin canine that thin canine could turn around and bite you. Translation:- When you become embroiled too deeply in pitiable circumstances they could have adverse repercussions.

"From Whappy kill Philo." I have no idea who Whappy and Philo are or were but it didn't end well between them. Translation:- somehow this always means from a long, long time ago.

"From saltfish was a shingle house." Saltfish = salted codfish, a staple of the Jamaican diet. It sometimes comes in small rectangular pieces similar to the material used to roof houses. I imagine that the costs would make it too prohibitive to be used as roofing material now, so Translation:- this also means a long long time ago.

"If yu caan ketch Quako yu ketch him shut." Once again who are these people that sayings should evolve around them? Literal translation, If you can't catch Quako attempt to catch his shirt. Translation:- Once your objective is unattainable supplement the next best thing!

"Time longer dan rope" This one might be universal. Translation:- Time is eternal and cannot be measured by traditional means. This one might have a more ominous undertone because it is usually used when there is a perceived injustice and the speaker is predicting retribution - usually in the form of fire and brimstone - on the wrongdoer.

"Cut eye, cut eye caan cut me in two!" This one echos on playgrounds or wherever children are gathered throughout Jamaica. It literally refers to a gesture which calls for the initiator to use the eye in an insulting way as if slicing through the other offending being. I say being because sometimes even an animal that offends could get a "cut eye." Major disrespect!! Translation:- Your insults do not bother me!

"Finga neva say look ya!" Literally, Finger never says look here. Translation:- An Accuser (or finger pointer) never calls attention to his or her own short comings.

"Spit ina sky i fall ina yu eye!" Literally, Spit in the sky it will fall in your eye. Translation:- Your wrongdoings are coming back to haunt you! Retribution!

"High seat kill Miss Thomas Puss!" Translation:- Clearly Miss Thomas' (once again I am unacquainted with her) feline ascended to a place that foresaw his or her imminent demise!

"Yu bread butter on both sides!" In these days of high cholesterol concerns, buttered bread does not connote prosperity but once upon a time a yard, it did. Translation:- You are very fortunate and have no worries.

"Jack man Dora mi nu choose none!" I have no clue what this means, but suffice to say that Miss Lou (storyteller extraordinaire the Honorable Louise Bennett-Coverly) who was not speaking about that explorer girl -my baby's best friend- decided not to make a choice.

I'll revisit this list of colloquialisms as new ones arise.