Rasta/Patois Dictionary page !!
Enter the Rasta/Patois
Dictionary compiled by Mike Pawka. Contains terms, phrases, Jamaican
proverbs.
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Rasta/Patois Dictionary. ================================================================================
Compiled by Mike Pawka 12/92 Added Phrases Section 11/28/95 Sources moved
to the back 01/19/96 Last Update 09/20/00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A : prep. to as in "go a shop," from Spanish (7) A GO
: aux w/v. going to do, as in "Me a go tell him" (7) A DOOR : outdoors. (5)
ACCOMPONG : n. name of Maroon warrior, Capt. Accompong, brother of Cudjo;
also name of town. From the Twi name for the supreme deity (7) ACKEE : n.
African food tree introduced about 1778. From Twi ankye or Kru akee (7) AGONY
: the sensations felt during sex (6) AKS : ask (28) ALIAS : adj. (urban slang)
dangerous, violent (7) AMSHOUSE : poorhouse (29) AN : than (5) ARMAGEDDON
: the biblical final battle between the forces of good and evil (1) ASHAM
: n. Parched, sweetened, and ground corn. From twi osiam (7) BABYLON : 1.
the corrupt establishment, the "system, " Church and State 2. the police,
a policeman (1) BAD : good, great (2) BAD BWAI : (bad boy) 1. refering to
a bold man; a compliment 2. : One who has committed a crime. : (rude bwai,
ruddy, baddy) (31) BADNESS : hooligan behavior, violence for its own sake
(1) BAFAN : clumsy; awkward (5) BAFANG : a child who did not learn to walk
the 1st 2-7 years. (5) BAG-O-WIRE : a betrayer (1) BAGGY : underpants for
a woman or child. (5) BALMYARD : n. place where pocpmania rites are held,
healing is done, spells cast or lifted (7) BAKRA : white slavemaster, or member
of the ruling class in colonial days. Popular etymology: "back raw" (which
he bestowed with a whip.) (5) BALD-HEAD : a straight person; one without dreadlocks;
one who works for babylon (2) BAMBA YAY : by and by (7) BAMBU : rolling paper
(1) BAMMY : a pancake made out of cassava, after it has been grated and squeezed
to remove the bitter juice. (5) BANDULU : bandit, criminal, one living by
guile (1) a BANDULU BIZNESS is a racket, a swindle. (5) BANGARANG : hubbub,
uproar, disorder, disturbance. (5) BANKRA : a big basket, including the type
which hangs over the sides of a donkey. (5) BANS : from bands; a whole lot,
a great deal, nuff, whole heap. (5) BASHMENT : party, dance, session (3) BAT
: butterfly or moth. English bat, the flying rodent, is a rat-bat. (5) BATTY
: bottom; backside; anus. (5) BATTYBWOY : a gay person (6) BEAST : a policeman
(1) BEENIE : little (36) BEX : vex (verb), or vexed (adjective). (5) BHUTTU
(BUHTUH) : an uncouth, out of fashion, uncultured person Use: Wey yu a go
inna dem deh cloze? Yu fayva buttu (12) BIG BOUT YAH : Large and in charge.
Superlative indicating status (power, fame, money, talent, etc) within some
social group (12) BISCUIT : a particularly attractive woman (46) BISSY : cola
nut. (5) BOOPS/BOOPSIE : Boops is a man, often older, who supports a young
woman; boopsie refers to a kept woman (46) BLACK UP : To smoke weed. Like
somene would ask "You Black up : today?" Meaning did you smoke today? (14)
BLACKHEART MAN : a rascal, a hooligan (38) BLOUSE AND SKIRT : common exclamation
of surprise. (29) BLY : chance, "must get a bly", "must get a chance". (4)
BOASIE : adj. proud, conceited, ostentatious. Combination of English boastful
and Yoruba bosi-proud and ostentatious (7) BOASIN TONE : Swollen penis or
testicles (13) BOBO : fool. (5) BODERATION : Boderation comes from the word
bother and that's basically what it means. If something is a boderation then
it's a bother. (29) BONG BELLY PICKNEY : a greedy child who ate too much.
(29) BOONOONOONOUS : Meaning wonderful. (13) BOX : To smack or to hit in the
face. (13) BRAA : from BREDDA; brother. (5) BRAATA : a little extra; like
the 13th cookie in a baker's dozen; or an extra helping of food. In musical
shows it has come to be the encore. (5) BREDREN : one's fellow male Rastas
(1) BRINDLE : to be angry (6) BRINKS : title given to a man who is supplying
a woman with money (6) BUBU : fool. (5) BUCKY : home-made gun (2) slave (29)
BUCKY MASSA : master over the slaves (29) BUD : bird. (14) BUFU-BUFU : fat,
swollen, blubbery; too big; clumsy or lumbering.(5) BUGUYAGA : a sloppy, dirty
person, like a bum or tramp. (5) BULL BUCKA : a bully (1) BULLA : a comon
sugar and flour cookie or small round cake, sold everywhere in Jamaica. (5)
BUMBA CLOT, (TO GET) BUN : to have one's spouse or girl/boy-friend cheat on
oneself, to be cheated out of something (6) RAS CLOT, BLOOD CLOT : curse words
(1) BUCK UP : meet (28) BUMBO : bottom; backside. A common curse word, especially
in combination with CLOT (cloth), a reference to the days before toilet paper.
(5) BUN : burn (29) BUNGO : n. racially pejorative. Crude, black, ignorant,
boorish person. From Hausa bunga-bumpkin, nincompoop (7) BUNKS : to knock
or bump against, from "to bounce", BUNKS MI RES, catch my rest, take a nap.
(5) BWOY : Boy (13) (THE) CAT : a woman's genitals (6) CALLALOU : A spinach
stew. (18) CARD : to fool someone (6) CEASE & SEKKLE! : stop everything and
relax! (6) CEPES : (n.) - beard (35) CERACE : a ubiquitous vine used for boiling
medicinal tea, and for bathing. It is proverbial for its bitterness.(5) CHA!
or CHO! : a disdainful expletive (1) pshaw! (2) very common, mild explanation
expressing impatience, vexation or disappointment. (5) CHAKA-CHAKA : messy,
disorderly, untidy. (5) CHALICE or CHILLUM : a pipe for smoking herb, usually
made from coconut shell or CHALEWA : and tubing, used ritually by Rastas (1)
CHANT : (v.) - to sing, especially cultural or spiritual songs (35) CHEAP
: just as cheap, just as well. (5) CHIMMY : chamber pot. (5) CHO : very common,
mild explanation expressing impatience, vexation or disappointment. (5) CLAP
: hit, break, stride (1) CLOT : 1. cloth, an essential part of most Jamaican
bad words, such as bumbo clot, rass clot, blood clot, etc. The essence of
Jamaican cursing seems to be nastiness , rather than the blashemy or sexuality
which is characteristic of the metropolitan countries. 2. to hit or strike
- from the verb "to clout". (5) 3. literally means a used tampon (31) COCO
: a potato-like edible root, known elsewhere as the taro or the eddo. It was
brought to Jamaica from the South Pacific. This is completely distinct from
cocoa, usually called chocolate. (5) COIL : money (6) COME DUNG : come down,
get ready (as to prepare to play a tune) (6) COME EEN LIKE : to seem as if;
to resemble. (5) CONTROL : to be in charge of, responsible for, to own; to
take (1) COO 'PON : v. (origin unclear) Look upon! (7) COO YAH : v. (origin
unclear) Look here! (7) pay attention (17) COOL RUNNINGS : usually used at
a time of departure on a long journey meaning have a safe trip (31) COOLIE
: the traditional Jamaican epithet for East Indians. It is never used It is
never used for Chinese Jamaicans. Usually in the form coolie-man or coolie-oman.
It is not considered polite today anymore than the term nega, but it is still
used widely in rural areas. (5) COLLIE : n. (urban slang) ganja (7) COME YAH
(cumyu) : come here. (17) CORK UP : jammed, filled, crowded (2) CORN : 1.
marijuana 2. money 3. a bullet (1) COTCH : verb (cotch up), to support something
else, as with a forked stick; to balance something or place it temporarily;
to beg someone a cotch, can be a place on a crowded bus seat or bench; or
it may mean to cotch a while, to stay somewhere temporarily. (5) COTTA : a
roll of cloth or vegetation placed on top of the head to cushion the skull
from the weight of a head load. (5) CRAB : aside from it's usual meaning,
it is a verb meaning to scratch or claw. (5) CRAVEN : greedy (5) CRAVEN CHOKE
PUPPY : someone who wants everything but when they get it , they can't manage
it. CREATION STEPPER : means you step it in and throughout Babylon without
fear - cuttin' edge, livin' on the edge, fear no foe. Lookin justice in the
eye and saying, What are you doin ?"!! (29) CRIS : crisp; popularly used for
anything brand-new, slick-looking. (5) CRISSARS : crisp, brand-new (2) CROMANTY
: adj. from Corromantee, Blacks from the Gold Coast believed to be rebellious
(7) CROCUS BAG : a very large sack made of coarse cloth, like burlap (10)
CROSSES : problems, vexations, trials; bad luck, misfortunes. (5) CRUCIAL
: serious, great, "hard,", "dread" (1) CU : verb, look! (5) CU DEH! : look
there! (5) CU PAN : look at. (5) CU YA! : look here! (5) CU YU : To say "Look
at you." To the person you are refering to. (14) CUBBITCH : covetous. (5)
CUDJO : n. name of famous Maroon warrior; mn born on Monday, from Fante, Twi
kudwo (7) CULTURE : reflecting or pertaining to the roots values and traditions
highly respected by the Rastas (1) CUSS-CUSS : a quarrel or fracas, with lots
of cursing. (5) CUT YAI : to cut your eye at somebody is a very common means
of expressing scorn or contempt, for example; one catches the other person's
eye, then deliberatly turns one's own eyes as an insult. (5) You can also
cut your eye at somebody in a friendly way. (29) CUTCHIE : pipe for communal
smoking. (5) CYA : 1. to care; "donkya", don't care, careless; "no kya" means
no matter, as in "no kya weh im tun", no matter where he turns. 2. to carry.
(5) CYAAN : can't. (5) CYAI : to carry. (5) CYAN : can. (5) D.J. : a person
who sings or scats along with dub music, sometimes called "toasting" (2) DAAL
: split peas, usually a thick soup, from Indian cuisine, from Hindi. (5) DADA
: father (6) DALLY : executive zig-zag movements on wheels (2) or on foot
(6) to ride a bicycle or motorbike with a weaving motion, as when ones weaves
around potholes. (5) DAN DADA : the highest of DON'S (6) DAN : than (5) DARKERS
: sunglasses (6) DASHEEN : a big soft yam-like root, often slightly greyish
when cooked. It is related to the coco, but one eats the "head" instead of
the tubers. (5) DAWTA : a girl, woman, "sister," girlfriend (1) DEAD HOOD
: (the H is silent) = A man that can't perform sexually. Impotent. (14)(29)
DEADERS : meat, meat by-products (1) DEESTANT : decent. (5) DEGE or DEGE-DEGE
: adjective, little, skimpy, measly, only, as in a two dege-dege banana. (5)
DEH : there (place) (6) DEY : v. to be, exist, as in "No yam no dey". From
Ewe de or Twi de - to be (7) DEY 'PON : (aux. v.) - to be engaged in action
or continuing activity (35) literally "there upon" As in "it dey pon de table".
(29) DI : the (6) DILDO MACCA : dangerous macca or thorn that will bore you
up (29) DINKI : a kind of traditional dance at funerals or "nine nights" ("set-ups");
now popular among school children. (5) DIS or DIS YA : this (6) DJEW : as
a verb, rain a djew; as a noun, djew rain. It means a light rain or drizzle.
(5) DOGHEART : a person who is especially cold and cruel (6) DOLLY : executive
zig-zag movements on wheels (2) DON : one who is respected, master of a situation
(6) DONKYA : from "don't care"; careless, sloppy, lacking ambition, etc. (5)
DOONDOOS : an albino. (5) DOWNPRESSOR : preferred term for oppressor (1) DOTI
: "Dutty" means dirty, dirt or earth (19)(29) (TO) DRAW CARD : the act of
fooling someone (6) DREAD : 1. a person with dreadlocks 2. a serious idea
or thing 3. a dangerous situation or person 4. the "dreadful power of the
holy" 5. experientially, "awesome, fearful confrontation of a people with
a primordial but historically denied racial selfhood" (1) DREADLOCKS : 1.
hair that is neither combed nor cut 2. a person with dreadlocks (1) DREADY
: a friendly term for a fellow dread (1) DUB : a roots electronic music, created
by skillful, artistic re-engineering of recorded tracks (2) DUB PLATE : A
pre-release copy of a record, often produced exclusively for a specific sound
system (see "sound system"). (46) DUCK-ANTS : white ants, or termites. (5)
DUKUNU : sweet corn-meal dumplings boiled in wrapped leaves. (5) DUNDUS :
an albino. (5) DUNGLE : n. legendary West Kingston slum surrounding a garbage
dump, now cleared. (7) : From English dunghill DUNS,DUNSA : money (1) DUPPY
: a ghost (1) DUTCHY : dutch cooking pot, low round-bottomed heavy pot. (5)
DUTTY : dirty (17) EASE-UP : to forgive, to lighten up (6) EVERYTING COOK
& CURRY : all is well, all is taken care of (6) FALLA FASHIN : Copycat (13)
FAS' : to be fast with, meaning to be rude, impertinent, to meddle with sombody's
business, to be forward, etc. (5) FASSY : eczema-like scratchy sores on the
skin; also a verb meaning to cause oneself to be covered with fassy by scratching.
(5) FAASTI (FIESTY) : impertinent, rude, impudent (35) FAYVA : to favour,
resemble, or look like; "fayva like" also means "it seems as if". (5) FE (FI)
: the infinitive "to" as in "Have fe go" (7) : "a fe" Have to (28) "fe dem"
their (28) FEEL NO WAY : don't take offense, don't be sorry, don't worry (1)
FENKY-FENKY : (from finicky) choosy, proud, stuck-up. (5) FENNEH : v. to feel
physical distress, pain. From Twi fene-to vomit; Fante fena-to be troubled;
Lumba feno-to faint (7) FI (FE) : possessive. "fi me"-"mine" (7) Can also
mean : "for" or "to", as in "I ha' fi", I have to. : Yu num fi du dat = You
are not to do that. (12) Fe is Fi as in fi ar means hers fi im - his fi dem
- theirs fi you - yours fi me - mine (29) FIESTY (FAASTI) : impudent, rude,
out of order, cheeky. (5) FIRST LIGHT : tomorrow (1) (HIM A) FISH : a gay
person (6) FIT : when used of fruits and vegetables, it means ready to pick,
full grown, though not necessarily fully ripe. (5) also means in good shape.
("You haffe fit!") (31) FORWARD : 1. to go, move on, set out 2. in the future
(1) FRONTA : tobacco leaf used to roll herb (1) FUCKERY : wrong, unfair (6)
FULLNESS, TO THE FULLNESS : completely, absolutely, totally (1) FUNDS : Money
(6) GAAN A BED : an adverbial phrase; following a verb of liking or loving,
it has a superlative meaning; Can be used in any context, such as "I love
hafu yam gaan to bed!". (5) means very much as in liking very much (29) GALANG
: go along. (23) GANJA : herb, marijuana (1) GANSEY : t-shirt, any knit shirt
(2) (TO) GET SALT : to be thwarted, to encounter misfortune (6) GATES : home,
yard (1) GENERAL : cool operator (1) GI : give (28) GIG : spinning top. (5)
GILL : unit of measure like pint. (42) GINNAL : n. trickster, con-man, an
Amnancy figure as in "Sunday Ginnal"-a preacher or clergyman (7) GLAMITY :
a woman's genitals (6) GORGON : outstanding dreadlocks (1) a dragon (29) (DON)
GORGON : outstanding dreadlocks, a person who is respected (2,6) GRAVALICIOUS
: greedy, avaricious. (5) GRINDSMAN : one who displays great prowess in bed(6)
GROUNATION : large, island-wide meeting and celebration of Rastas (1) GROUND
: home, yard (4) HACKLE : to hassle, bother, worry, trouble. As a noun, hackling.
(5) HAFFI : to have to... (6) HAIL : a greeting (1) HARBOUR SHARK : "Mr. Want-All"
glutton, greedy, someone who wants it all. (29) HARD : excellent, proficient,
skillful, uncompromising (1) tough (29) HARD EARS : stubborn, doesn't listen
(37) HEETCH : itch. Many such words could be listed under H, as initial H
is added to scores of words at will. (5) HEAD MAN JANCRO : n. albino buzzard
(7) HERB : marijuana (1) HIEZ-HAAD : ears-hard, thick skulled, stubborn, unwilling
or unable to hear. (5) HIEZ : ears. (5) HIGGLERS : higglers, who are primarly
woman who buy and sell goods that they have imported into the country. Some
higglers, however, do not make trips out of the country to buy goods, but
sell the goods that others import. The connection between higglers and dancehall
culture is crucial as they form one of the strongest international links between
JA, North America, and the Caribbean. (16) HITEY-TITEY : upper class, high
tone, "stoosh". (5) someone who pretends to be better than they are (29) HOMELY
: to be relaxed, comfortable, enjoying your home surrounding. (14) HOOD :
penis. (5) HORTICAL (DON) : respected, acclaimed (6) HOT-STEPPER : fugitive
from jail or gun court (1) I-DREN : (n.)- male Rastafarian (35) I-MAN : I,
me, mine (1) I-NEY : a greeting (2) I-REY : 1. a greeting 2. excellent, cool,
highest (1) I-SHENCE : herb (1) I-TAL : vital, organic, natural, wholesome;
refers to way of cooking and way of life (1) in colors, red, green and gold
(2) I : replaces "me", "you", "my"; replaces the first syllable of seleted
words (1) I and I, I&I: I, me, you and me, we (1) Rastafari speech eliminates
you, me we, they, etc., as divisive and replaces same with communal I and
I. I and I embraces the congregation in unity with the Most I (high) in an
endless circle of inity (unity). (3) IEZ-HAAD : ears-hard, thick skulled,
stubborn, unwilling or unable to hear. (5) IEZ : ears. (5) ILIE : adj. literally,
"highly", valuable, exalted, even sacred (7) IGNORANT : short-tempered, easy
to vex, irate. (5) INNA DI MORROWS : tomorrow (6) INNA : In the (4) IRIE :
A Greeting. excellent, cool, highest (1) : adj. powerful and pleasing (7)
ISES/IZES/ISIS : praises (11) Praises to the almighty given by Rasta : when
calling on the name of Jah for strength and : assistance for achieving progress
in life. (30) ISMS and SKISMS : negative term denoting Babylon's classificatory
systems (1) ITES : 1. the heights 2. a greeting 3. the color red (1) great
(2) 4. another word for irie. Or you use it to mean "OK" as in when someone
asks you to do something for you, you would reply, "Ites." (29) IWA : certain
time or hour (43) JA, JAM-DOWN : Jamaica (1) JACKASS ROPE : homegrown tobacco,
twisted into a rope. (5) JAH KNOW : Lord knows (1) JAH : God; possibly derived
as a shortened form of Jahweh or Jehovah (1) Jah Ras Tafari, Haille Selassie,
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, conquering Lion of Judah; rastas revere Haile
Selassie as the personification of the Almighty (2) JAMDUNG : Jamaica, "Jam"
to press down "dung" down. Ironic reference to social and economic conditions
of the masses (7) JAMMIN : to be having a good time, to be dancing calypso/soca
(6) JANCRO : n. literally John Crow, buzzard (7) JANGA : shrimp, crayfish.
(5) JELLY : a young coconut, full of jelly. (5) JON CONNU : n. (John Canoe).
Bands of elaborately masked dancers appearing around Christmas. They ressemble
the ancestral dancers of West Africa, but the ety. of the word is unclear.
(7) JOOK : to pierce or stick, as with a thorn or a long pointed stick. (5)
also used in a sexual context (29) JOOKS : hangout, relax (29) JUDGIN' : adjective,
everyday or ordinary clothes or shoes worn in the yard or in the bush, as
in "judgin' boot". Also as a verb, to judge, with a similar meaning. (5) JUU
: as a verb, rain a juu; as a noun, juu rain. It means a light rain or drizzle.
(5) KALI; COOLY : marijuana (1) KALLALOO : a dark, green leafy vegetable,
very nutritious and cheap. (5) KASS KASS : n. quarrel or contention. From
combination of English curse or cuss, and Twi kasa kasa-to dispute verbally
(7) KATA : a roll of cloth or vegetation placed on top of the head to cushion
the skull from the weight of a head load. (5) KAYA : see ganja (4) KETCH UP
: grapple (28) get in a fight (29) KETCHY-CHUBY : It can be a sexual term
meaning the man throw it and the woman catch it! It can also mean a game -
life's game, how to see through today to meet tomorrow and all the games of
life as in "life is just a ketchy-chuby game." (29) KEMPS : a little bit,
a tiny piece, from skimps. (5) KIN TEET : "skin teeth" to laugh at someone
or give them a plastic smile, sometimes used derogatorily as in "A little
kin-teet bwoy." (29) KISS ME NECK! : common exclamation of surprise. (5) KISS
TEET : to kiss one's teeth or to suck one's teeth is to make the very common
hissing noise of disappoval, dislike, vexation or disappointment. (5) KOUCHIE
: bowl of a chalice or chillum pipe (1) KRENG-KRENG : an old-fashioned meat
rack, hung up high over the fire to catch the smoke. (5) KUMINA : n. Ecstatic
dance for the purpose of communicating with ancestors. From Twi akom-to be
possessed and ana-by an ancestor (7) LABA-LABA : to chat, gab; gossip. (5)
LABRISH : gossip, chit-chat. (5) LAGGA HEAD : Dumb acts as if you have no
common sense. Stupid. : "yu dam Lagga head bud" (14) LAMBSBREAD : a form of
high-quality marijuana (1) LARGE : respected (6) LET OFF : pay out (28) LEGGO
BEAS' : wild, disorderly, like a let-go beast. (5) LICK : To hit (13) LICKY-LICKY
: fawning, flattering, obsequious. (5) LIKKLE : little (29) LILLY BIT : little
bit, tiny. (5) LION : a righteous Dread (1) a great soul (2) LIKKLE MORE :
see you later (2) (TOO) LIKKY-LIKKY : title given to those who like to eat
any food they encounter , without discretion (6) MAAMA MAN : a gay person,
an effeminate man, a weakling (6) MAAS : n. from master or massa. Now freed
from its class origin; a respectful form of address to an older man. (7) chill
out, be by ones self for a while (24) MACCA : thorn, prickle. dangerous. (29)
MACCA BACK : boney fish used to make fish soup (29) MADDA : mother (6) MAFIA
: big-time criminals (1) MAGA DOG : mongrel (4) MAGA : thin (2) (from meagre)
(5) MAMPI : Fat or overweight (13) MANACLES : chains (11) MANNERS : under
heavy discipline or punishment. for example when Kingston is under "heavy
manners", they have a curfew or call out the army. (10) MARINA : a man's undershirt,
guernsey; a tank-top style. (5) MAROON : n. free black warrior-communities
which successfully resisted British hegemony during eighteenth century and
early nineteenth century. From Spanish cimmaron- untamed, wild (7) MASCOT
: denoting inferior status (2) MASH IT UP : a huge success (1) MASH UP, MASH
DOWN : destroy (1) MASSIVE : respected (6), used with LARGE to add emphasis
MATEY : mistress (12) MEK WE : Let Us. (4) MENELIK, RAS : n. Ethiopian nobleman
who rallied his troops to resist Italian aggression. Defeated Italians at
Adowa 1896 (7) MONKS : amongst. (5) MORE TIME : see you later (1) MR. MENTION
: Talk of the town, originally talk of the females signifying someone with
many female conquests MR. T : the boss (2) MUS MUS : a rat (4) MY BABY MOTHER
/FATHER : the mother/father of my child (1,6) MYAL : n. a form of benign magic
oposed to Obeah, hence myalman. From Hursa maye-wizard, person of mystic power.
(7) NAGAH : n. pejorative for a black person (7) NAGO : n. Yoruba person,
practice or language. From Ewe anago-Yoruba person (7) NAH : adv. will not.
Emphatic as in "Me nah do that" (7) NANA : midwife; nanny or nurse. (5) NANNY
GOAT : "What sweet nanny goat a go run him belly" is a cautionary Jamaican
proverb which translated means: What tastes good to a goat will ruin his belly.
In other words - the things that seem good to you now, can hurt you later...
(10) NASH : female genatalia (6) NATTY, NATTY DREAD, NATTY CONGO : 1. dreadlocks
2. a person with dreadlocks (1) NAZARITE : Ancient Hebrew meaning to "separate",
consecrated, set apart by choice and devotion (1) NIYABINGHI : 1. "death to
all black and white oppressors" 2. East African warriors who resisted colonial
domination 3. large Rastafarian meeting and spiritual gathering 4. referring
to orthodox, traditional Rastas 5. a variety of drumming (1) NIYAMEN : name
for Rastas referring to Niyabinghi warriors of East Africa (1) NO CYA : no
matter, as in "no kya weh im tun", no matter where he turns. (5) NOTCH : Don
or top ranking badman (33) NUH : interrogative at end of sentence; literally,
"Is it not so?" (7) NUH TRUE? : isn't it so? (1) NYAM : to eat. (5) (TOO)
NYAMI-NYAMI : title given to those who like to eat any food they encounter,
without discretion (6) NYING'I-NYING'I : nagging, whining. (5) O-DOKONO :
boiled maize bread. (5) OBEAH : traditional African "science", relating to
matters of the spirit and spirits, spells, divinations, omens, extra-sensory
knowledge, etc. (5) OHT FI : about to, on the vergeof, as in "it hoht fi rain",
it is about to rain, it looks like rain. (5) ONE DROP : A popular type of
rhythm pattern used on countless reggae records (46) ONE LOVE : a parting
phrase, expression of unity (1) ONE-ONE : adjective, one by one, thus any
small amount. (5) ONGLE : only. (5) PAKI : calabash, gourd. (5) PAPAA : pawpaw,
or papaya melon. (5) PATTAN : pattern, style and fashion (39) PATU : owl.
(5) PAYAKA : heathen (11) craven, want it all (29) PYAKA : tricky or dishonest.
(10) PEEL-HEAD : bald-headed, usually certain chickens or vultures. (5) PEENYWALLY
: a kind of large fire fly, actually a type of flying beetle. (5) PEER : avocado
pear. (5) PHENSIC : JA equivalent to Tylenol, Excedrin, etc. (26) PICKY, PICKY
HEAD : brush haircut (3) PICKY-PICKY : 1. finicky or choosy 2. Used of uncombed
hair just starting to turn into dreadlocks. (5) PIKNY : pickaninny, child.
(5) PINDA : peanut. (5) PIRA : a low wooden stool. (5) PITY-ME-LIKL : a type
of very tiny red ant whose bite is so hot and long-lasting it resembles a
sting. (5) POCOMANIA, POCO : christian revival, distinct drum rhythm (2) POLYTRICKS
: politics (by Peter Tosh) (6) POLYTRICKSTERS : politicians (by Peter Tosh)
(6) POPPY-SHOW : from puppet show, it is used in the idiom, tek smadi mek
poppy-show, which means to make fun of someone or shame them, making them
look ridiculous. (5) PUM-PUM : a woman's genitals (6) PUNAANI or PUNNI : a
woman's genitals (6) PUPPALICK : somersalt. (5) PUSSY CLOT : A curse word
ref. to a woman's sanitary napkin. (14) PUTTIN' AWAY : a preposition, meaning
"except for", or "except". (5) PYAA-PYAA : sickly, weak; feeble, of no account.
(5) PYU : from spew; verb used of running sores or anything similarly dripping
or oozing. (5) QUASHIE : n. peasant, country bumpkin, coarse and stupid person;
racial pejorative generic term for blacks; originally Twi name of a boy born
on a Sunday (7) QUIPS : 1. nouns (from squips) a tiny piece or amount. 2.
verb, the Jamaican art of washing clothes making a "squips-squips" sound.
(5) RAATID! : a common mild expletive of surprise or vexation, as in "to raatid!".
It is likely a polite permutation of "ras", a la "gosh" or "heck". (5) RAGGA
: A style of reggae that uses digital rhythms exclusively. A term sometimes
used interchangably with dancehall, since the latter music has become heavily
digitized as well. (46) RAGGAMUFFIN : jamaican ghetto dweller (46) RAM : full
up (28) RAM GOAT : slang for someone who deals with nuff ladies (17) RANKING
: highly respected (1) RAS or RASS : backside, rump; a common curse is to
rass! or rass clot! a title used by Rastafarians meaning "lord" or "head"
. (5) (TO) RAAS : "really?", "damn!"(6) RASTA, RASTAFARIAN : a follower of
Marcus Garvey who worships the Almighty in the person of haile Selassie RAT-BAT
: bat, the night-flying rodent. (5) RATCHET : a switchblade knife popular
in Jamaica (1) RED : 1. very high on herb 2. mulatto color (1) RED EYE : to
want another persons belonging, envious. "You too red eye", : meaning, you're
too envious. (14) RAHTID : expression of surprise, or to be enraged. From
biblical"wrothed" (7) RENK : 1. foul-smelling, raw-smelling. 2. out of order,
impudent, as in a rank-imposter. "Yu too renk!". (5) fiesty (29) RHAATID :
a curse-exclamation, similar to "what the hell" (6) : To rahtid ---> Exclamination!!,
i.e Wow! a milder form : to Rass...excitement!! (40) RHYGIN : adj. spirited,
vigorous, lively, passionate with great vitality and force; also sexually
provocative and aggressive. Probably a form of English raging. (7) RIZZLA
: brand of rolling paper. (3) ROCKERS : reggae music (1) reggae music as it
is played today, the latest sound (2) ROOTS : 1. derived from the experience
of the common people, natural indigenous 2. a greeting 3. name for a fellow
Rasta (1) ROTI : flat Indian pan breads. (5) ROYAL, (RIAL) : n. offspring
of some other race and black, ass in "Chiney-Rial," "coolie-rial"; humorous
as in "monkey-rial" (7) RUDE BOY : a criminal, a hard hearted person, a tough
guy (6) RUN-DUNG : food cooked in coconut juice, obtained after grating the
dry coconut meat and squeezing it in water, thus extracting the coconut cream.
(5) RUNNING BELLY : diarrhea (12) RYAL : royal. (5) SAL'TING : 1. dishes cooked
with saltfish or meat. 2. that part of the meal which is served with the "food"
(starchy food, ground food). 3. by some strange extension, the female organ,
often simply called "sal". (5) the food that goes with the rice, potatoes
or starchy food; like calalloo, fish and sauce, sauces or gravy (29) SALT
: adjective, broke, empty-handed, low on funds or food, as in "tings salt"
or "i' salt". (5) SAMBO : the colour between brown and black; someone who
is a cross between a mullatto (brown) and a black. (5) SAMFAI MAN : trickster,
conman. (5) SHAMPATA : n. sandal of wood or tire rubber. Span. zapato (7)
SANFI : A manipulator - dishonest person. A person that will sweet talk you
: out of love and money. "Dam Sanfi Bitch". (14) SANKEY : n. religious song
of a paticularly lugubrious tone, sung in the long or common meter. From Ira
David Sankey, evangelist and hymnalist (7) SATA : to rejoice, to meditate,
to give thanks and praise. (5) SATTA : sit, rest, meditate (1) relax (6) (GO)
SATTA : claim how spiritual you are (11) SCIENCE : obeah, witchcraft (1) SCIENTIST
: occult practitioner (2) SCOUT : denoting inferior status (6) SCREECHIE :
to sneak by (6) SCREW : to scowl, to be angry (1) SEEN : I understand, I agree
(1) SEEN? : Do you understand? (6) SHAG : home-cured tobacco, straight from
the field. (5) SHAKE OUT : leave without haste, casually (2) SHEG (UP) : verb,
to bother, as in "all sheg up", all hot and bothered, or or spoiled up (as
of work). (5) SHEG-UP : to be messed up, ruined (6) SHEPHERD : n. leader of
revivalist cult; also proprietor of balmyard, healer and prophet (7) SHOOB
: to shove. (5) SIDUNG : sit down (6) SIGHT? : do you understand? (1) SINKL-BIBLE
: the aloevera plant. (5) SINSEMILLA, SENSIE : popular, potent, seedless,
unpollinated female strain of marijuana (1) SINTING : something. (5) SIPPLE
: slippery; slimy. (5) SISTER, SISTREN : a woman, a friend, woman Rastafarians
(1) SITTIN' : something. (5) SKANK : to dance to reggae music (1) to move
with cunning, ulterior motives (2) SKIL : kiln, as in "limeskil". (5) SKIN
: rolling paper (1) SKIN YOUR TEETH : smile (1) plastic smile (29) SLABBA-SLABBA
: big and fat, slobby, droopy. (5) SLACKNESS : lewd, vulgar lyrics popular
in DJ singing (4) SLACKY TIDY : unkept or messy (29) SMADI : somebody. (5)
SO-SO : only, solely, unaccompanied. (5) weak, pallid (6) SOFT : not well
done, amateurish; unable to cope (1) broke, no money (2) SOUNDBWOY : usually
a derogatory way to refer to the selecter or : other personality in another
sound system. This term is : most often employed in clashes, on dub plates
built for : clashes, and so on. Sometimes it is not used in such a : negative
manner, but most of the time one refers to the : someone in the crew as a
soundman, not a boy. (17) SOUND SYSTEM : Huge mobile stereo setups manned
by DJs, who became celebrities as they traveled Jamaica to host open-air dances
(46) SPLIFF : large, cone-shaped marijuana cigarette (1) SPRING : to sprout,
as of yams or cocos, making them inedible. (5) STAR : common term of affection,
camaraderie (1) STEP : to leave, to depart (1) briskly, quickly (2) STOOSH/STOSHUS
: upper class, high tone, "hitey-titey". (5) STRING UP : a muscial rehearsal
(2) STRUCTURE : body, health (1) SU-SU : gossip, the sound of wispering. (5)
SUFFERER : a poor person stuggling to survive (2) SUPM, SINTING : something
(6) TACK : bullet (2) TACUMAH : n. character in Anancy tales. Said to be the
son of Anancy. Twin'ticuma (7) TAKARI/TANKARI : stewed spicy pumpkin. (5)
TALL : long (1) TALLOWAH : adj. sturdy, strong, fearless, physically capable.
From Ewe talala (7) TAM : deep woolen hat, used by Dreads to cover their locks
(1,6) TAMBRAN SWITCH : n. a flail made from the wiry branches of the Tamarind
tree, braided and oiled. Effective and much feared in the hands of Babylon.
(7) TAN' : to stand; usually used in the sense of "to be". "A so im tan",
"that is what he is like"; "tan deh!" or "yu tan deh!" means "just you wait!".
"Tan tedy", stand steady, means "hold still". (5) TARRA-WARRA : a polite way
of expressing omitted bad words, a verbal asterisk. (5) TATA : n. father.
Affectionate and respectful title for an old man. Fram many african languages.
Ewe, Ge, N'gombe (7) TATU : a little thatched hut, often made of bamboo. (5)
TEETH : bullets (2) TEIF : a theif, to steal (6) THE I : (pron.) -you, yourself,
yours (35) THRU' : because (28) TOAST : (v.) - to rap or sing spontaneously
over a dub track (35) TOTO : coconut cake. (5) TOPANORIS : uptown snobby person.
(10) wealthy but mean behind it (29) TRACE : to curse or speak abusively to
someone. (5) TRANSPORT : vehicle (1) TUMPA : from stump, as in "tumpa-foot
man", a one-foot man. (5) TUNTI : female organ. (5) UNO/UNU : you-all. (5)
pron. you, plural. In usage close to Afro-American y'awl. From Ibo unu, same
meaning (7) UPFUL : postitive, encouraging (2) UPHILL : positive, righteous
(1) UPTOWN : the upper classes (1) VANK : (v.) - to vanquish, conquer (35)
VEX : to get angry (1) WA DAY : adverbial phrase, the other day. (5) WA MEK?
: why? WHAFEDOO : we'll have to (make) do or we'll have to deal with it (37)
WAKL : wattle, a kind of woven bamboo work used to make house walls. (5) WANGA-GUT
: hungry-belly. (5) WARRA-WARRA : politely omitted bad words, same as "tarra-warra".
(5) WENCHMAN : a kind of fish, "hail brother john, have you any : wenchman?"
(from "Row Fisherman Row"). (10) WH'APPEN? : what's happening? (4) WHATLEF
: What's left over (7) WHEELS : vehicle (6) WHOLE HEAP : a lot (1) WINE :
"wine" appears in every West Indian dialect, and is literally a corruption
of "wind." It means to dance, sometimes seductively. (17) WINJY : thin and
sickly looking. (5) WIS : vine, liana, from withe. (5) WOLF : a non-rasta
deadlocks (2) WOOD : penis. (5) YA NUH SEE? : you know? (1) YA : hear, or
here. (5) YABBA : a big clay pot. (5) YAGA YAGA : Dancehall slang. a way to
big up a brethren; to express a greeting or attract attention, i.e. yo! or
yush! true friend; bonafide; brethren. (9) YAHSO : here (place) (6) YAI :
eye. (5) YARD : home, one's gates (1) tenement (2) YOUTH : a child, a young
man, an immature man (1) YUSH : Yush talk is bad boy talk. Or it can be a
way of saying : "YO". In other words it is a way for rude boys to hail : each
other up. (27) ZION : Ethiopia, Africa, the Rastafarian holy land (1) ZUNGU
PAN : zinc pan. (5) ======= PHRASES or PROVERBS ======= "Me come yah fi drink
milk, me no come yah fi count cow!" (Deliver that which you promised, don't
just talk about it!) (15) stay out of trouble or gossip. Means I came here
to (whatever you came for) not get involved in politics or gossip. (29) "Carry
Go Bring Come" (gossip) (12) "A so im tan" (that is what he is like) "tan
deh!" or "yu tan deh!" (just you wait!) "Tan tedy", stand steady, means "hold
still". (5) Bunks Mi Res (catch my rest, take a nap) (5) "yu dam Lagga head
bud" (stupid) (14) "What sweet nanny goat a go run him belly" is a cautionary
Jamaican proverb which translated means: What tastes good to a goat will ruin
his belly. In other words - the things that seem good to you now, can hurt
you later... (10) "tek smadi mek poppy-show", which means to make fun of someone
or shame them, making them look ridiculous. (5) "You too red eye" (meaning,
you're too envious) (14) Ya No See It? (you know?) (1) "the gal come wine
up on me," it would mean that the girl came and was dancing up on me. (17)
"Chicken merry; hawk deh (is) near", it's a Jamaican proverb which simply
means, every silver lining has its dark cloud Even in the happiest times one
must still be watchful. (22) "Fire de a Mus Mus tail, him tink a cool breeze".
Set a Rat's tail on fire and he's thinks there's a cool breeze. Used to describe
someone or something (the system for example) that is clueless. (4) This characterizes
the delusional complacency of the upper classes. (22) "Me bleach hard lass
night" i partied straight through the night. (20) "A promise is a comfort
to a fool". (4) "coo pon dat bwoy", "look at that boy" (17) "Mi no come yah
fi hear bout how horse dead an cow fat" It's like telling somebody to knock
off with irrelevant details. (21) (29) "Me throw me corn but me no call no
fowl" It evokes the image of a farmer silently scattering who is saying, in
effect: "Don't call yourself a chicken just because you eat my feed; I never
said I was endeavoring to feed the chickens." That is, "You are who you show
yourself to be, not who you might say you are." (21) "Sorry for maga dog,
maga dog turn round bite you". This metaphor extends very well to all manner
and sort of do-gooding and should be considered before any hasty acts of charity!
(22) giving help to someone and they show no sign of thanks and may even scorn
you for it. (29) "Mi throw mi corn, but me no call no fowl". refers to the
conversational technique of throwing out a provocative statement (throw corn)
in an indirect manner, thus forestalling any accusations of personal insult.
(22) "Sweet nanny goat have a running belly". It's a barnyard analogy akin
to the grass is always greener, but much coarser, noting that the sweet foliage
avidly sought out by the nanny goat gives it diarrhea (running belly). It's
a blunt way of warning someone off temptation. (22) "cock mouth kill cock"
really can't be expanded upon any further, nor can the similar "If a fish
coulda keep him mout' shut, him would neva get caught". (22) somebody who
chat too much (29) "Everyting Crash". The topic is social chaos. Also, "come
bad in de morning can't come good a evenin'", and the even more pessimistic
"every day bucket go a well, one day di bucket bottom mus drop out". (22)
Mashin up of one's plans (29) "Wanti wanti can't get it, getti getti no want
it", i.e., the Have-nots covet what the Haves take for granted. (22) "Trouble
no set like rain", that is, unlike bad weather, we are often not warned by
dark clouds on the horizon. (22) reminder to be careful (29) Jamaican proverbs
consistently counsel patience and forebearance, as in the beautiful image
"time longer than rope". The child must "creep before him walk". And remember,
"one one coco fill up a basket", take it easy and fill up your shopping basket
one item at a time. (22) "Every mikkle makes a muckle", refers to thriftiness,
similar to "a penny saved is a penny earned". (22) "No cup no broke, no coffee
no dash wey". Even if disaster strikes your home it's always possible that
all may not be lost. (22) you don't make a fuss there won't be a fight. (29)
"Wha eye no see, heart no leap" means that something terrible could happen
but if you don't see it, you are not frightened. (29) "mi come here fi drink
milk, mi noh come here fi count cow". A remimder to conduct business in a
straightforward manner. (22) "The higher the monkey climbs the more him expose".
A truly comic image if you've ever been to the zoo, and comforting to any
of us whose backs have been used as a stepping-stone for someone else's success.
(22) "A city upon the hill cannot be hidden." same as above (29) "A new broom
sweeps clean, but an old broom knows every corner". A profoundly witty statement
that sums up any number of current situations, including the state of today's
music. (22) often used in man and woman relationships as in "your new man
buff and ting but the old man know where it sweet you." In other words, the
new broom may look better but the old broom has understanding bout tings!
(29) "dry land tourist". A Jamaican who's never been off the island but still
acts like a big shot. (10) Someone who acts topanorish and has nothing (29)
"no one cyaan test" . no one can compete with. (24) "Mi a-go lef today". "I
am leaving today" (25) "Im too hard of Aise". "He/She is too hard of ears"
(25) "Him is badda than dem" "No badda mi". "He is worse than they are" "Don't
bother me" (25) "Is bare dog down inna that yard". "Is only dogs in that yard"
(25) "No badda bawl im soon come back". "Don't bother crying he'll soon be
back (25) "Dat is fe mi bredda". "That is my brother" (25) "The chuck need
tree new tyres". "The truck will need three new tire" (25) "Cuyah, she gwan
like she nice eee". "Look at that, she acts like she is so nice" (25) "Choble
nuh nice" "Yuh ina big choble". "Trouble is not nice" "You are in big trouble"
(25) "Did yuh see dat?" "A who dat?" "Did you see that" "Who is that" (25)
" Yuh no dun yet?". "You have not finished yet?" (25) " Is the dutty duppy
man dweet". "The dirty ghost do it" (25) "Ef yuh choble him 'im me a-go hit
yuh". "If you trouble him I am going to hit you" (25) "All a dem a me fambly".
"All of them are my family" (25) "mek we dweet". "Let us do it" (4) " Yuh
too fass and Facety". "You are too inquisitive and fresh" (25) "Galang bout
yuh business". "Go along about you business" (25) "Mi back a hat mi". "My
back is hurting me" (25) "An a jus Lass nite mi dideh". "And it was just last
nigh I was there" (25) "Lef mi Nuh". "Leave me alone." (25) "Tek de neegle
an sow de piece of clawt". "Take the needle and sow the piece of cloth" (25)
"How yuh nyam so much". "How do you eat so much." (25) "Is Mr Garden pickney
dem". "It is Mr. Gordon children." (25) "Mi would rada you talk to mi" Translation
: "I would rather you not talk to me" "Tandy tink sey im a-go help you." "Stand
there thinking he is going to help you." (25) "Tek you time an mine it bruk".
"Take your time, you might break it." (25) "Wat a liiv an bambaie" Leftovers
put aside to eat tomorrow (What is left for by-and by). (8) "gone a foreign"
Gone abroad (from Jamaica) (28) "like mi a go maas" chil out (24) "gwaan go
maas" go cool yourself (24) "mi a maas a money" (or item), it means you're
going to put it away or put it one side (24) "Every hoe ha dem stick a bush."
The meaning of all that is "to each his own" It literally translates that
for every size hoe there is a stick that size in the bush (or forest) for
it. In JA theyuse tools similar to garden hoe. They use it to make yam hill
- we use it to make path. There are different sizes for different chores.
So it can also mean that there is someone out there for everyone. (29) "tan
so back" (stand so back) laid back (31) "a peer rumors ah gwan" "Its pure
rumors that are going on" in other words "Its all only rumors that's being
spread" (32) "did deh deh" "I was there" (34) "Im sey dat yuh was to bring
ting" "He or She said you were to bring the thing" (25) "Sumody tell mi sey
yuh dida talk bout mi" "Somebody told me you were talking about me." (25)
"Unnu can come wid mi" "You all can come with me." (25) "I dey 'pon haste"
- "I am in a hurry" (35) "Who colt de game" - it implies that someone made
a wrong move, deliberately, to change the outcome of the plan. So who colt
the game? Babylon! In other words... to prevent the Dread from succeeding,
babylon colt the game, made a "wrong" move in regards to the dread (40) "Why
yu fe galang so"? - "why must you behave in such a manner?" (41) "mek mi kibba
mi mouth to rahtid" - "let me cover my mouth... let shut my mouth.." (40)
"tea tar toe" - Tea tar toe is a game that uses three pieces (like buttons
or stones) and to win all three have to be in line and the pieces are called
out "tea, tar, toe". So one could say "Don't play tea tar toe with me" to
mean "Don't toy with me" , etc. (29) "buy off the bar" - the party's going
good and all the liquor's been sold! (29) "Water more than flour" - "time
tough." It's like you're makin' dumplin and you have enough water but not
enough flour. (29) Johncrow feel cool breeze is a very old JA proverb that
roughly means someone who, much like a johncrow, jumps at any opportunity
to prey on someone else. Stephen Marley uses the line in "Rebel in Disguise
from the "Joy and Blues" album. (44) After the cane is cut, everything is
taken away except the brown root, which is basically useless. And the field
workers, being poor, wear a kind of cheap flip flop called a "booga wooga."
So if you see Miss Brown downtown and she's got brown sugar all over her booga
wooga, it means she's a canefield worker. (44) "Is just pure almshouse a gwaan".
Pure trickery going on. (29) "Rat a Cut Bottle". even a rat needs some broken
glass for self-defense when times are really rough (4) "No call alligator
'long mouth' 'til you pass him." (44) "If you want good, nose a fe run." "That
mean, if you're working in the U.S. or if you are working anywhere, and then
by multitude of rain, flood or winter, you lie down in bed because you don't
want to have a runny nose - you're going to starve. So if you want to get
any good out deh, you have to go out deh and get that runny nose. You have
to be in the cold. So your nose a fe run." (45) "Tek set pon you". when somebody
just won't leave you alone! (29) ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources: 1. Reggae International, Stephen Davis, Peter Simon, R&B, 1982 2.
KSBR 88.5 FM, Laguna Beach, CA. Handout. 3. posted on rec.music.reggae 4.
Mike Pawka, Jammin Reggae Archives Cybrarian 5. Understanding Jamaican Patois,
L. Emilie Adams, Kingston 6. Richard Dennison/Michio Ogata 7. Glossary from
"The Harder They Come" (Bo Peterson) 8. Norman Redington 9. The Beat 10. Allen
Kaatz 11. Jah Bill (William Just) 12. Arlene Laing 13. Jennifer G. Graham
14. Norma Brown/Zoe Una Vella Veda 15. Richard V. Helmbrecht 16. Norman Stolzoff
17. Christopher Edmonds 18. Lisa Watson 19. Dr. Carolyn Cooper 20. Ras Adam
21. Chip Platt 22. Michael Turner from an article in "The Beat" 23. Nicky
"Dread" Taylor 24. Simrete McLean 25. The Unofficial Web Site on Jamaica 26.
Paul Mowatt 27. Carlos Culture 28. Liner Notes - Blood & Fire release: Jah
Stitch: "Original Ragga Muffin", presumably Steve Barrow 29. Clinton Fearon
- Original member of the Gladiators/ Barbara Kennedy 30. Itations of Jamaica
and i Rastafari 31. Phil "Bassy" Ajaj 32. Karlene Rogers 33. Dean Holland
34. Scottie Lake 35. Roger Steffen's Supersite 36. Sara Gurgen 37. Kevin Robison
38. Christopher Durning 39. Ronald E. Lam 40. Trainer Adams - Editor of Dub
Missive magazine. 41. Karlene Rogers 42. Howard Henry 43. Messian Dread 44.
Roger Steffens 45. Bunny Wailer (related to Roger Steffens) 46. Reggaeblitz.com
glossary
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