What languages are spoken in Jamaica? Is English the official language and daily language used by people living there? Their short-distance runners, male and female, have certanly astounded the world at the Olypic Games.
What languages are spoken in Jamaica?
English is the official language of Jamaica, but most of the population speaks "Patwa" (Jamaican Creole) on a daily basis.
In addition to English, Spanish is widely taught in many Jamaican schools. Many Jamaicans are bilingual in English and Spanish.
<<Which is kind of like English.... >>
Isn't it English with some words that come from some African language? And the more formal, the more English is it, the more informal, the more African words. I think.
Isn't it English with some words that come from some African language? And the more formal, the more English is it, the more informal, the more African words. I think.
Theoretically, the two languages spoken are Jamaican Patois and English, but in reality, most Jamaicans speak something in between. This is somewhat similar to many dialects of Scottish English, which often use extensive Scots vocabulary, but are really more technically modern English.
This site gives a good overview of the different levels of dialect (look at the chart at the bottom of the page):
http://www.jumieka.com/aatagrafi.html
The classic creole language is largely only spoken by older people and expatriates. Most people speak the 'mesolects' of Jamaican.
This site gives a good overview of the different levels of dialect (look at the chart at the bottom of the page):
http://www.jumieka.com/aatagrafi.html
The classic creole language is largely only spoken by older people and expatriates. Most people speak the 'mesolects' of Jamaican.
Jamaican "patwa'' is fascinating to me....i think that because its essentially english (nearly all of the lexicon), but at the same time almost completely unintelligible to me, makes it interesting.
The funny thing is that when jamaicans talk to you (a foreigner to them), you can understand them, but when they talk amongst themselves, all comprehension is lost.
They should standardize the language, like haitians did with 'kreol', so that it can be preserved, and no de-creolization occurs.
<<Isn't it English with some words that come from some African language? And the more formal, the more English is it, the more informal, the more African words. I think.>>
I think nearly all the vocabulary is english, or english derived. The only think 'african' about it is the phonology and grammar/syntax.
The funny thing is that when jamaicans talk to you (a foreigner to them), you can understand them, but when they talk amongst themselves, all comprehension is lost.
They should standardize the language, like haitians did with 'kreol', so that it can be preserved, and no de-creolization occurs.
<<Isn't it English with some words that come from some African language? And the more formal, the more English is it, the more informal, the more African words. I think.>>
I think nearly all the vocabulary is english, or english derived. The only think 'african' about it is the phonology and grammar/syntax.
<<I think nearly all the vocabulary is english, or english derived. The only think 'african' about it is the phonology and grammar/syntax.>>
Perhaps, but I'd say the phonology is actually more related to Irish and Scottish English (a big influence) than African languages in modern variants. The African influence was more apparent in older dialects.
<<They should standardize the language, like haitians did with 'kreol', so that it can be preserved, and no de-creolization occurs.>>
That seems quite unlikely. Haitian Creole isn't spoken as part of a continuum eventually leading to French the way Patwois is with standard English. It seems that most Jamaicans would be accurately described as speaking Patois-influenced dialects of native English rather that speakers of a truly distinct language.
Perhaps, but I'd say the phonology is actually more related to Irish and Scottish English (a big influence) than African languages in modern variants. The African influence was more apparent in older dialects.
<<They should standardize the language, like haitians did with 'kreol', so that it can be preserved, and no de-creolization occurs.>>
That seems quite unlikely. Haitian Creole isn't spoken as part of a continuum eventually leading to French the way Patwois is with standard English. It seems that most Jamaicans would be accurately described as speaking Patois-influenced dialects of native English rather that speakers of a truly distinct language.