 | Maroons: A term derived from the Spanish word cimarron, meaning wild or unruly, used to refer to runaway slaves in various parts of the Caribbean.
Nyabinghi: (Ni-uh-bin-gee) This term has a series of overlapping meanings within the contemporary Rastafari Movement. It refers variously to the island-wide religious gatherings of Rasta brethren and sistren to the three-part drum ensemble on which chants are composed, to the African-derived dance-drumming style performed at these events, and to the corpus of chants themselves. It also refers to the most orthodox organization within the broader Rasta movement variously known as the House of Nyabinghi or the Theocratic Government of Emperor Haile Selassie I.
LABA-LABA: to chat, gab; gossip.
LABRISH: gossip, chit-chat.
LAGGA HEAD: Dumb acts as if you have no common sense. Stupid. "yu dam Lagga head bud"
LAMBSBREAD: a form of high-quality marijuana.
LARGE: respected.
LET OFF: pay out.
LEGGO BEAS': wild, disorderly, like a let-go beast.
LICK: To hit.
LICKY-LICKY: fawning, flattering, obsequious.
LIKKLE: little.
LILLY BIT: little bit, tiny.
LION: a righteous Dread a great soul.
LIKKLE MORE: see you later.
(TOO) LIKKY-LIKKY: title given to those who like to eat any food they encounter , without discretion.
MAAMA MAN: a gay person, an effeminate man, a weakling.
MAAS: n. from master or massa. Now freed from its class origin; a respectful form of address to an older man.
MACCA: thorn, prickle. dangerous.
MACCA BACK: boney fish used to make fish soup.
MADDA: mother.
MAFIA: big-time criminals.
MAGA DOG: mongrel.
MAGA: thin.
MAMPI: Fat or overweight.
MANACLES: chains.
MANNERS: under heavy discipline or punishment. for example when Kingston is under "heavy manners", they have a curfew or call out the army.
MARINA: a man's undershirt, guernsey; a tank-top style.
MAROON: n. free black warrior-communities which successfully resisted British hegemony during eighteenth century and early nineteenth century From Spanish cimmaron-untamed, wild.
MASCOT: denoting inferior status.
MASH IT UP: a huge success.
MASH UP, MASH DOWN: destroy.
MASSIVE: respected, used with LARGE to add emphasis.
MATEY: mistress.
MEK WE: Let Us.
MENELIK, RAS: n. Ethiopian nobleman who rallied his troops to resist Italian aggression. Defeated Italians at Adowa 1896.
MONKS: amongst.
MORE TIME: see you later.
MR. MENTION: Talk of the town, originally talk of the females signifying someone with many female conquests.
MR. T: the boss.
MUS MUS: a rat.
MY BABY MOTHER /FATHER: the mother/father of my child.
MYAL: n. a form of benign magic oposed to Obeah, hence myalman. From Hursa maye-wizard, person of mystic power.
NAGAH: n. pejorative for a black person.
NAGO: n. Yoruba person, practice or language. From Ewe anago-Yoruba person.
NAH: adv. will not. Emphatic as in "Me nah do that".
NANA: midwife; nanny or nurse.
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, an hurt you later...
NASH: female genatalia.
NATTY, NATTY DREAD, NATTY CONGO: 1. dreadlocks 2. a person with dreadlocks.
NAZARITE: Ancient Hebrew meaning to "separate", consecrated, set apart by choice and devotion.
NICE UP: to promote and foster a positive feeling. to "nice up the dance"means to get the party going.
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.
NIYAMEN: name for Rastas referring to Niyabinghi warriors of East Africa.
NO CYA: no matter, as in "no kya weh im tun", no matter where he turns.
NOTCH: Don or top ranking badman.
NUH: interrogative at end of sentence; literally, "Is it not so?"
NUH TRUE?: isn't it so?
NYAM: to eat.
(TOO) NYAMI-NYAMI: title given to those who like to eat any food they encounter, without discretion.
NYING'I-NYING'I: nagging, whining.
O-DOKONO: boiled maize bread.
OBEAH: traditional African "science", relating to matters of the spirit and spirits, spells, divinations, omens, extra-sensory knowledge, etc.
OHT FI: about to, on the vergeof, as in "it hoht fi rain", it is about to rain, it looks like rain.
ONE DROP: A popular type of rhythm pattern used on countless reggae records.
ONE LOVE: a parting phrase, expression of unity.
ONE-ONE: adjective, one by one, thus any small amount.
ONGLE: only.
PAKI: calabash, gourd.
PAPAA: pawpaw, or papaya melon.
PATTAN: pattern, style and fashion.
PATU: owl.
PAYAKA: heathen craven, want it all.
PYAKA: tricky or dishonest.
PEEL-HEAD: bald-headed, usually certain chickens or vultures.
PEENYWALLY: a kind of large fire fly, actually a type of flying beetle.
PEER: avocado pear.
PHENSIC: JA equivalent to Tylenol, Excedrin, etc.
PICKY, PICKY HEAD: brush haircut.
PICKY-PICKY: 1. finicky or choosy, 2. Used of uncombed hair just starting to turn into dreadlocks.
PIKNY: pickaninny, child.
PINDA: peanut.
PIRA: a low wooden stool.
PITY-ME-LIKL: a type of very tiny red ant whose bite is so hot and long-lasting it resembles a sting.
POCOMANIA, POCO: christian revival, distinct drum rhythm.
POLYTRICKS: politics (by Peter Tosh).
POLYTRICKSTERS: politicians (by Peter Tosh).
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.
PUM-PUM: a woman's genitals.
PUNAANI or PUNNI: a woman's genitals.
PUPPALICK: somersalt.
PUSSY CLOT: A curse word ref. to a woman's sanitary napkin.
PUTTIN' AWAY: a preposition, meaning "except for", or "except".
PYAA-PYAA: sickly, weak; feeble, of no account.
PYU: from spew; verb used of running sores or anything similarly dripping or oozing.
Thanks to some of the sources of this glossary...Reggae International, Stephen Davis, Peter Simon, R&B, 1982 - KSBR 88.5 FM, Laguna Beach, CA. Handout. - posted on rec.music.reggae - Mike Pawka, Jammin Reggae Archives Cybrarian - Understanding Jamaican Patois, L. Emilie Adams, Kingston - Richard Dennison/Michio Ogata - Glossary from "The Harder They Come" (Bo Peterson) - Norman Redington - The Beat - Allen Kaatz - Jah Bill (William Just) - Arlene Laing - Jennifer G. Graham - Norma Brown/Zoe Una Vella Veda - Richard V. Helmbrecht - Norman Stolzoff - Christopher Edmonds - Lisa Watson - Dr. Carolyn Cooper - Ras Adam - Chip Platt - Michael Turner from an article in "The Beat" - Nicky "Dread" Taylor - Simrete McLean - The Unofficial Web Site on Jamaica - Paul Mowatt - Carlos Culture - Liner Notes - Blood & Fire release: Jah Stitch:"Original Ragga Muffin", presumably Steve Barrow - Clinton Fearon -Original member of the Gladiators/ - Barbara Kennedy - Itations of Jamaica and i Rastafari - Phil "Bassy" Ajaj - Karlene Rogers - Dean Holland - Scottie Lake - Roger Steffen's Supersite - Sara Gurgen - Kevin Robison - Christopher Durning - Ronald E. Lam - Trainer Adams - Editor of Dub Missive magazine. - Karlene Rogers - Howard Henry - Messian Dread - Roger Steffens - Bunny Wailer (related to Roger Steffens) - Reggaeblitz.com glossary - Jahworks.org - Jamaican Handbook of Proverbs - www.jamaicans.com-The Reggae Box - Hip-O Records
A Great big thanks to Mike Pawka http://niceup.com/patois.txt |
