A Yard Stylee Lexicon.

We Jamaicans are a colorful lot. And nowhere is our color more vibrant than in our speech - I mean we even have our very own curse words which might seem out of place outside of yard but don't mess, they're fighting words anywhere a Red Stripe is sold!!

Thus, being that I know some of same I think it behooves me to document these uniquely Jamaican words (the non fighting kind) - Jamaicanese (if you will) to be used in the correct articulation of our Patois. I think that I also have a responsibility to explain how everyday standard English words have different usage when sprinkled in a particularly combative, or nice, conversation that may occur on any street a yard!

A. Of course we start at the very beginning with the word A. Not A, as in ...a man or... a big car..but the more hard sound -ah- just as how I used it in the previous paragraph, "a yard, " meaning at yard, or to yard - where is he going? ... Him gone a him yard!!

Boomshat. That is the bomb.

Bwoy. Boy or any male of the species.

Caan. Pronounced cyaan. The meaning is cannot or our abridged version of same.

Curu Curu. No specific meaning but if same is inter spliced in pleasant conversation when expletives cannot be used, your listener catches your drift, poste haste. As in, "whey di curu curu wrong with you bwoy?"

Deya. I am here.

Dibi Dibi. I would say this means less significant or less valid. "Nuh dibi dibi gal caan tes dis," in common yard parlance means - there is no less significant girl who can even begin to measure up to my (the speaker's significance.) Always used disrespectfully.

Di. This or the. Not to be confused with....

Dis. This. And of course in the hip-hop culture, the other and perhaps more well known meaning is disrespectful.

Easy. An acknowledgement even more so when followed by "nuh."

Gal. Girl. Be careful, intonation can be the subtle difference as to whether this word is call out to fight or not!!

Gwan. Going on, for instance, "Deya a gwan jam." I am here just going on enjoying myself.

Irie. This is one word with many variations in meaning. Someone may ask, "How are you doing?" "Irie," you reply meaning - good. "Good Morning," the other person's response, "Irie," or good morning to you too. Irie Ites means good vibes. So generally, the word Irie can be interconnected with the word good with changes in nuance as the situation dictates.

Jam. Taking it easy or dancing, chilling.

Mawga. Meager, thin, emaciated.

Mek. As in, "nuh mek mi an yu fight!" - Do not make it happen that you and I fight! or "Mek hais and come" - Make haste and come - come here quickly.

Mi. Me or mine or to show ownership.

Nuh. Frequently used in Jamaica talk, nuh could mean don't, as in "nuh mek mi an yu fight!" Or, an impatient now, as in "come nuh!" Which would tell the person hearing this, "lets go, I'm ready and as we speak I am leaving you behind and am most disgusted with your tardiness!!!"

Nyam. From the Jamaican verb to eat. Present tense would be nyaming, not to be confused with nyamins or food.

Pyaw pyaw. On one level this means, feeble, having no backbone or very jellyfish like. On another level it means a small portion. "Is what kind of pyaw-pyaw food dis yu gi me?" or "why have you given me this small portion of a meal?"

Seckle. Relax yourself!!

Stylee. Style with a reggae lilt.

Wanga. A common 1980s djay rhymed, "Nuh Wanga gut" I think he meant that he does not want a large stomach, Wanga meaning large, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Whey. Where or what. If someone approaches you screaming "Ah whey di...," my advice is to duck and cover your ears as a verbal onslaught is sure to follow.

Yes. A greeting, similar to hello or an acknowledgement of someones presence.

Yush. I am thinking that this means hello or some other similar greeting, hate to say that I am not exactly sure.

To be continued because I am sure that there are some that I have left out!!