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Recently I heard a Jamaican use the expression "pressure buss pipe" and I found it funny because this was a Trini expression which has become very popular in Ja. Usually it's Jamaican expressions which become popular in Trinidad and other Caribbean countries.

Another Trini expression which has gone Caribbean is the verb "to lime." I find it funny when middle class Jamaicans spell the word "lyme". The Guyanese claim that "lime" is really a Guyanese word.

Most Bajana would not believe the expression "wheel and come again" is not Bajan.

In reply to Headley

I do not believe to lime is Trinidadian. Lionel Richie used it in his song All Night Long. But hey I may be wrong.
I thought wheel and come again came from Jamaica and music when the record was pulled back.

Pressure buss pipe is without a doubt Trini and one of my favourite expressions to use especially when watching sports.

In reply to nick2020

How is that Trini?




This expression is so old in Guyana, I don't think they use it anymore. I might be wrong though.

In reply to black

Jes now yuh go ask how 'Trini to de bone is Trini'?? Brother man don't try to change facts 'limin' is as Trini as doubles,,,,dey have dat in Guyana long time too btw?

'limin' is definitely a Trini slang and used in many different contexts by Trinis... we going and lime down dey...ah limin with meh gyal...leh we buss ah lime

In reply to problemjay

Dude, it's used in the same way in Guyana.

In reply to black

and there is someone using it the same way in Norway right now. 'Limin' just like 'Bacchanal', just like 'Dingolay' are Trin originated terms. Engrained in TnT lingo since before we even gain Independence

In reply to black

and there is someone using it the same way in Norway right now. What is your point?

'Limin' just like 'Bacchanal', just like 'Dingolay' are Trini originated terms. Engrained in TnT lingo since before we even gain Independence

In reply to bravos

I don't give a damn about doubles, liming has been used in Guyana for decades. None of us know for sure where it originated.

In reply to problemjay

Bacchanal maybe, I have no idea what dingolay is.

In reply to black

Liming was used since i was a boy over 20 years ago. It has gone out of style but the trinis using like it fresh, could be because they started using it much later

In reply to steveo
Liming was used in BeeGee in the 60's.

In reply to steveo

Dude, I grew up in the 70's and 80's using that expression.

In reply to black

Lime done,pick up your empty bottle!

In reply to bravos

"Limin" was used in my day and I remember my graandfather also using the term- so it goes back a very long time.

I cannot ever remember any BG-ite- in my days, it wwas BG, ever using that term. Apparently they started using it much later due to usage of the word in popular Trinidad culture- calypso and carnival and on the 1980's through chutney and other music.

Guyanese were always big fans of Trinidad calypso and now a days soca and chutney soca- they have adopted this art form as their own.

In reply to steveo

Correct. Liming was always a Guyanese expression. The Titties used it far more frequently now in their creolese lexicon, whereas in Guyana it's seen as old fashion these days.

kerr yuh skont...Guyana

In reply to Emir

I remember my great great grandfather using the term lime

Old time Trinidad Calypso from the 1940's have the lyrics containing 'limin'.. so what is the argument between the old men in this forum?

All signs point to Trinidad as the origin but I found this.

Next ting you will here the Guyanese in here say steelpan was originated in Guyana too

In reply to problemjay

Keep y'all limes. We'll take care of the women.

In reply to SnoopDog

Yes Trini women will take care of allyuh money

In reply to problemjay

Lucky for us they're so cheap Brah.

In reply to SnoopDog

Oh fack!!!

In reply to SnoopDog

Yuh mad dey just take yuh few rum drinking dollars and then send yuh home

In reply to problemjay

See, yuh get all vex now.

In reply to SnoopDog

ah just feeling sorry for yuh ole man

In reply to problemjay

Now yuh see why Tittie women prefer Guyanese men? Y'all so fcuking sour all the time.

don't know who originated the term ,but Trinis popularize 'lime' !

In reply to camos

Next thing, they will claim "vex".

correck is right!

after twelve is lunch!

boy we have oil and oil cayn spoil!

In reply to Headley

beg your pardon??

Most Bajans know that is directly from Jamaican DanceHall mate...who you hanging around...millenial potheads?

In reply to powen001

How dare you Bro?

Pass de dutchie pan de leff hand side.

In reply to SnoopDog

Dutchie is a pot.

They used dutchie because those kids were too young to sing about cutchie.

Who originate "kerry you skunt"

In reply to deanjones

You must have inspired someone to ask you to do so..

In reply to deanjones

Uniquely Guyanese.

In reply to nick2020

I know the expression , liming, to lime , going to a lime etc in Trinidad since 1973. When I heard it first it was not a new expression. It spread through the Caribbean in the 80s-90s because there was no other English word which was as accurate and flexible at the same time to discuss what we do in the Caribbean.

Lionel Richie used the expression around 1984-6.

In reply to Headley

You think he got it from Trinidad? And then used it in that song?

In reply to nick2020

Of course. He was trying to sing 'calypso'. Don't you remember the shirt in the video which Americans associate with 'The Islands'.

In reply to nick2020

Well no not directly. Music is global and it is common to borrow from other cultures

"Banas like yuh stupidee or wah" - uniquely Guyanese

"Yuh coocoo cook"!! You in big trouble..

"Gopaul luck ain't Seepaul luck"..

In reply to bravos

Nice! The Jamaican equivalent is "yuh gladbag buss". Especially if you've been having a good time.

For example, not doing your school work, then when the end of term report reaches home "yuh gladbag buss".


On of my favourite Trini expressions is "crapaud smoke yuh pipe". The Jamaican equivalent is "dog nyam yuh supper".

I don't know of a Bajan or Guyanese equivalent. Bravo will explain the pronunciation of crapaud.

In reply to bravos

Bajans say "cat luck ain't dog luck"

Jamaicans say "cat and dog nuh have the same luck" or "puss and dog nuh have the same luck".

In reply to Headley

Same sh!t, just tweaked a little.

In reply to black

"Watch skunt hey".

In reply to Headley

All ah we so full of it,we all similar to rass!

'Big gouti small gouti same bullet' (Agouti wild meat)

Meaning,same pain/penalty for everyone...even lolee (fat ting/slim ting.white ting/ black ting,young ting/ole ting etc.)..

"Crapaud smoke yuh pipe".
"Playing dead to ketch corbeau alive"
Both Trini.

don't bring knife to gun fight.

In reply to granite

Funny how you take creole sayings and make it the property of non creole islands...like the guy said is one big pot...in fact often times sayings begin from a non native misunderstanding words.

We used buss a lime way before we understood it to mean, aimless walkabout.
We made squash so often that we would have to use the green limes. What we'd do is rub them between a hard surface and our palm to get them soft, this easier to juice. The older ones would tell you doh buss the lime!

It was later they started using the term as an expression. I know it caught on with me cause it was pretty familiar.

Pressure buss pipe is used everywhere...it was big in the VI in the 90's.

In reply to Headley

I think yuh get this one wrong yuh know my fren ...

gladbag buss means that yuh happy cyaan done, overjoyed to raass.


The equivalent of yuh cuckoo cook in JA would be either dog nyam yuh supper or one of my all time favourites ....yuh get what the duck get.

In reply to JohnBull

You're right. I give way to superior knowledge and better memory.

In reply to powen001

I see Snoopdog answered on behalf of the millennial potheads.

In reply to cricketest

I think that has origin in America.

My mom used to say, "if yuh nah hear, Yuh guh feel".

In reply to black

She ain beat you enough..lol...that's across the board doh ..*who doh hear does feel"..

In reply to bravos

Do fuh do nah obeah.

In reply to bravos

Ya skin yuh skunt!!!

That's totally Guyanese.

"Since me eye dey ah me knee" (Jamaican for "for as long as I can remember")

Left some fuh bambai - Put away for a rainy day - Gt to dah bone

In reply to Runs

Jamaican too. My mom is 84. She just confirmed it.

In reply to black

"After laff a cry."

"Yuh hard ears or wha"?

In reply to SnoopDog

Yuh head hard.

In reply to black

"All skin teet is nuh smile"

fling stone in a hog pen. who bawl first get lick.

Mouth open, story jump out.

Batty and po - two people that are seen together all the time.

In reply to Headley

Whose expression is that?.

"mout' open story jump out"

Yuh cyan suck cane and whistle

If yuh rush de brush yuh gon get dab

learn fuh bear yuh chaffe

In reply to Headley

Heard someone in Jamaica use the term "Leggo Beast" a few months back. Never heard that term outside Barbados before.

In reply to Walco

Isn't that the title of an old Steele Pulse song?

In reply to JahJah

"Leggo beasts" "skettel" is yardie...

Beyoncé use Baje "wukkin up" in har songs ent..tits copy dat tuh

In reply to Walco

Yes man "leggo beast" was well used in Jamaica when I was a boy. It described any foolish running around, which is what boys often do. Similar (not the same) as the aimless Bajan "Punka's donkey".



BTW my favourite short, functional Bajan expression is "ope-tin". I will bet no one except Bajans could guess what "ope-tin" means.

In reply to Headley

In reply to pelon

get it right...ope-it-in

'Wajang','Jamette' (Trini for Skettel,leggo-beast)

Muddies/Snoop yuh gotta come good to bring out de Jamette in dem Trini gyals..

In reply to pelon

my grandmother used to say-
mad as Miss Carter's cat,

you think this come like how Tom got he dog,

he int worth shite when the gully out or

she int worth wuh Paddy shot at

Yuh mek me Han fall = disappointed

Duh something before something duh yuh

"behind god back" ...yuh living far far away in de bush etc..

'do so ain like so'.. do on to others as you would like them to do onto you..

In reply to bravos

I'm familiar with that one.

In reply to black

and I familiar with 'kerry yuh skunt'..

DO something before someting do you big here too!

Hard head mek sof behind.

In reply to sudden

I am always willing to give way to superior knowledge.

I agree it is not ope-tin. It is ope-it-in.

In reply to bravos

Tek yuh time and peel yuh pine.

"ope-it-in" is Bajan for open it.

A delivery man told me, "I found the envelope and when I ope-it-in the key was missing." When the man repeated it I realised he was not tongue-tied, so I asked my Bajan contact and learnt about "ope-it-in".

In reply to Headley

That was my guess but I wasn't sure.

Sounds like something Che would say.

give lazy suck!

In reply to Headley

add to that un-it-do

In reply to SnoopDog

NOW yuh talking!!

also Brits of Yard heritage.

turn down de radiogram or lower de music

In reply to black

Wonder how come he hasn't showed up yep?

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

Only if yuh tell mi where I can visit to hear it when I'm in Bim.

Jamaicans say, "cockroach nuh business ina fowl fight". What is the equivalent across the Caribbean?

In reply to sudden

man you have me here smiling. Don't know any of them, but brings back old days with my paternal grandmother and her sayings:

"she aint worth two duck feathers"
"he is a real poppit" (mid 70's to 80's)
"he is a real johnny come lately doah"
and one that became my personal life motto "son, don't hang yuh hat higher than you can reach"

I do not know if this was cited before ,but it is said in SVG .

" CRAPAUD SMOKE HIS/HER PIPE "

This means that someone had an untimely death .

In reply to pelon

This one is still very popular in Bim. Kinda describes Sudden.



This one was very popular in Jamaica when I was a boy.


This one below was very popular in my part of Jamaica. Don't know how popular it was in other parts of Ja.

"High seat kill Miss Thomas puss (cat)."

In reply to POINT

Mentioned that one (from Trinidad) at the start of the thread.

if the milk turns out to be sour, I'm not the kinda puss to drink it.

if greedy wait, hot will cool!

when puss belly full potato has skin.

sorry fi maga dog, maga dog turn around and bite you.


if a egg mi inna the red.

In reply to camos

Give black his jacket.

Wasn't that a saying?

In reply to Headley

'cockroach have to stay out fowl fight' (else dey might get eat)

'Two man rat cyah live in d same hole'

Puss and dog nuh have the same luck.

In reply to cricketest

Never heard the first one before.

The second one is popular in Bim.

In reply to camos

All three well known and used a lot in Ja. First one in Bob Marley song and second one in a early (70s) DJ music.

In reply to black

We know "Give Jack his jacket".

"Give Black his jacket" would have to be in your head.

In reply to bravos

I remembered that one yesterday.


These three from T'Dad

"She trying to throw sand in mi rice." A female friend from Arima told me that one. I suspect it's very old.

"Have cocoa in the sun".

"Hang his Jack".

In reply to Headley

One smart dead at two smart door

In reply to Headley

Thanks for informing me , I think that
young folks these days do not use it
much .

In reply to Headley

In reply to Headley

one one coco full basket.




don't give him basket to carry water.

trouble take you , pickney shut fit you.

if at first you do not succeed, buy her a stronger drink!

In reply to cricketest

Yuh sound like Bill Cosby.

Might be here already: Hard ears yuh won't hear...own way yuh gine feel

Mi granny used to use this one a lot:

"De one who shyte in a de pass (path) nuh remember it; a de one who come step ina it"

Describes situation where one inherits a problem.

everyday bucket a go a well, one day the bottom will fall out.

One one dutty build dam.

if the gloves don't fit, you must acquit.

In reply to cricketest

Yea, and that fella acted like his hands couldn't fit in those gloves.

In reply to pelon

Love this one. Haven't heard it in a while.


On a slightly different matter. I gave an old lady a lift one day from the Redman's Village gas station and we got talking. She said her daughter was going around with a fellow but her daughter had to break it off because the fellow was too smart.

It was said without a hint of a smile, really dry humour.

In reply to camos

Never heard this one.



If it's romantic trouble - in T'Dad they say 'yuh have tabanka' or "yuh climb the tabanka tree".

In reply to Headley

bajan context being "smartman" (Trump, con) and not "a smart person" (Headley, erudite)

"Parson christen him pickney fus (first)"

"tief nuh like fi see tief carry long bag"

"Jackass seh di worl no level"

"horse shouldn't be too proud fi no wan carry him own grass"

"When trouble a come shell nah blow"

"Time longer than rope"

In reply to CWWeekes

I used to hear the first three a lot when I was a boy.

The last two are new to me.

This thread was started as fun but based on the contributions it could be serving as a collection.

In reply to Headley
Yes very interesting thread. Once again shows how much we have in common.

To interpret the last two sayings:

-You should not feel above doing anything that will be to your benefit/advancement.

- very often one gets no warning when trouble is coming your way. The shell refers to the conch shell, I presume.

In reply to CWWeekes

Sure does. Earlier in the thread Runs from Guyana used the term "bumbai" for food put away to be eaten later and was convinced it was totally GT. I was really surprised because that was a common term in eastern Jamaica where I grew up.

18 months ago in Antigua I hear a female Antiguan colleague talk about behaving like a "sensae fowl" you could imagine my surprise.

In reply to Headley

chicken merry hawk dey near.

In reply to pelon

One of the benefits of spending a long time in the company of really smart folks is that it makes you realise your limitations.

In reply to Headley

If i think about my limitations, I would not get out of bed. so many....

In reply to pelon

More my granmur uses to say


Yuh think i mekkin ground fuh monkey to run pun

Monkey handling gun

tekkin time int laziness

Time longer than twine

He doan care if Good Friday come pun a Sunday

My bread fruit hang low

Head int ment fuh hat alone

Scornful dogs does eat dirty pudding

Wat int ketch yuh int pass yuh

Good looks caan spend

Every skin teet in nuh laff

Um tek two hans to clap

Rat mout does sell he tail

Tek a little and live long

A eyeful int a bellyful

Who help yuh buy a big guts horse doan help yuh feed um

She pushin pancart

I am not sure if these were posted before;
Don't hang your hat, higher than you can reach it
Don't bite off more than you can chew
If you go to bed with dogs, you awake with fleas.

In reply to sudden

Never heard any of these before.

Does "She pushin pancart" mean she's taking her business to the streets?

"If you go [to] crab dance, you mus get mud[dy]", per Guyanese.

"Not one daag name Paampi!" (A thief's favorite excuse.)

"Moon ah run till day ketch am" (Your day of reckoning will come.)

"Hard guava season" (Tough times)

"If you fine gole ring ah dance hall, ah deh you guh lass am" (Advice about choosing your boyfriend or girlfriend)

These two (one really) for adults only. You have been warned!:

"When man kack hard, he hart saff saff ..." (People are nice when they want something, and ...

"When man kack saff, he hart hard hard!" (Surely needs no explaining!)

In reply to openning and Sudden

What about one of the best from Bim " A sheep head a week better dan a cow head a year?"

This is great for all kind of instructive reasons.

Mek sure nah cock sure

Sorry fi maaga dawg, maaga dawg tun round bite yuh

Throw mi carn, mi nah call no fowl

Fatten cow for butcher

In reply to black

Your friend will be on your case about this one.

I have no idea where this originated, just stumbled upon it.

In reply to Headley

"What miss yuh ain pass yuh" (your time would come,good or bad)

"What sweet in goat mout does sour in de bam bam"

copy right TheTrail... onli takeaway from cringe worthy Solutions thread ...Baje to de bone!!!

Mature audiences only. This one from Trinidad.

"A standing cock has no conscience."

In reply to Headley

Yep and that's true!!! Even my dad used to say that when trying to emphasize a point!

Standing cock jus wanna burst!! He would leave you on your own to seek that out,he uses mind control and his head,beware!!

Which island is this one from?

"Piss or get off di pot"

In reply to bravos

Bathe wid blue


Is this a reference to bathing with blue soap?


BTW Mr. Admin I think this thread is worthy of being pinned as a source for Caribbean Studies.

In reply to Headley

Yes nice thread, just started to read it.

trouble nuh set like rain

wey eye nuh si, heart nuh lept

young bud nuh know storm

never si come si

rain a fall but dutty tuff

god naw sleep

chicken merry and hawk deh near

fire deh a muss muss tail him think a cool breeze

In reply to Rastaman

Used a lot in Guyana.

'Yuh eat parrot ass'

blah blah blah blah...talking too much..

In reply to SnoopDog

That's because ur fat ugly muddie women are not in demand and dropping the price ...

Some I found on the Internet ...

10. Wuz de scene?/Wham? – What’s up?

9. Ah did had was to.. – I had to..

8. Family, watch me for a minute nah – Can I please talk to you for a second?

7. Moo nah boy/Gone from here – Leave me alone

6. We bussin’ a lime dis Friday, wha yuh for? – We’re going to chill this Friday, what do you want to do?

5. He real doltish boy – He’s really stupid

4. She’s a bess ting – She’s really hot

3. Das meh real horse/bredrin – That’s my good friend

2. She real toting/She digging a horrors – She’s carrying a lot of emotional baggage

1. Doh hot yuh head – Don’t worry about it

In reply to sgtdjones

Who dis 'new' Trini? And most of those aren't sayings,it's just slang talk and bad English...

Yuh unnastan? Do you understand.

You confuflin de ting now man...

Talking about sayings with hidden undertones and associations..not just dotish talk..lol you eh easy nah..(you are something else)...lol

In reply to Rastaman

Yes I am surprised by the amount of expressions we share, without being aware that we share so many.

Heard this one from my mom recently.

"Since Whappy kill Phillop" meaning (for non-Jamaicans) since time immemorial.

Mout mek fi talk.

We got more than a few interesting terms from up these parts. Wonder if any of them have Caribbean relatives:

Kangabat - a woman of subpar beauty

Longtail - pretty single woman

Micin' - (pronounced mice'in) daydreaming

Ohgly - ugly to the extreme

Pacific - specific

Portagee - Portuguese

Ranks - smells terrible

Chingas - Wow/Dang/Sunuva...

In reply to Tryangle

I thought it was Jaggabat.

In reply to black

Heh, well maybe they are related. There after all is a sizeable population of West Indians up here, so maybe we adopted the term and put a little Aussie spin on it

In reply to Tryangle

In the Yaad, isn't this spelt as Wrenk?

Rain falling, thunder rolling, The devil and his wife fighting for the Coucou stick.

In reply to openning

Dawg iz

In reply to che

Thats when you been away from bajans for so long.
Thanks Bro, you keep it real

In reply to openning

Another unintended benefit of this thread. Helps you to keep speaking pure Bajan.

In reply to openning

'rain fallin, monkey marridin'..

In reply to Headley

openning counts ice fishing and line dancing as his passions now

What about superstitions?

Can't sweep at night, walking under ladders, etc...

In reply to black

Surprised you didn't reserve that for a whole other thread title,sounds about right..

SUCK MEH SOUCOUYANT

In reply to imusic

I am a soul man
Man I see Bajans when I am at home, or if I attend the annual Independent dance, I am out of the loop.

I remember once I was having a hard time fixing the clutch on a friend's car,I blurted out,"dis is pure fuckries".It was an English bloke and he nearly pissed himself laughing,he'd never heard that before.

In reply to granite

Impressive - the English are usually the masters of twisted spins on profanities

Tank de lard we 'ave one thread here bout Caribbean tings, while de cunumunus busing down Trump an' Yankee life.

Some Caribbean people been playin' Yankee lang before fowl cack get teet, an' since dem larn to wear can-can an' drive desota. Dis lil Caribbean thread nah important to dem. Dem fahget seh when you go a crab dance you muss get mud.

When dem go back home, dem fahget how rain ah sound pon zinc sheet, and dem ah jump an' run when a lil rain buss down! An dem ah talk bout how de place muddy an' ah smell like fowl shit. But then dem turn around an' want organic food!

An dem ah talk big about big match dem see pan TV, but friken to go play hard ball cricket pan de side line dam. Dem friken baakle bore dem foot and ball gun boonghi dem head, an' how dem insurance nah cover "boonghi"!

Anyway, all you nah fahget dis lil thread! Ahbidiss ah Caribbean people!

In reply to Norm

Translation please.

In reply to imusic

Yuh trying to get mi in trouble. "Mi nuh have blue boots fi climb 12 steps or mi nuh have blue boots fi climb courthouse steps."

Grateful if a Jamaican who knows the saying could help me.

In reply to Headley

"Boonghi" (used both as a verb and noun) is bump, usually on the head, that results from a blow, such as from a bat, stick, ball, head butt, etc. A very useful word for young boys!

In reply to Norm

Thanks. Don't recall hearing it before. Useful for young boys indeed!

In Ja we used the term 'cocoa' to describe the bump. Cocoa meaning what Trinis and Bajens call eddoes.

In reply to Headley
Sounds as if yuh telling we off for calling it eddoes.

In reply to granite

No, not at all. "Yuh si mi dyin trial," - expressing shock/surprise/sarcasm to find oneself in an awkward situation.

The use of the word cocoa by Jamaicans to describe a vegetable or tuber is confusing since as everyone knows cocoa also has a more well known meaning.

By the time schoolboys start to describe a swelling inflicted to the head as a cocoa, well as yuh say in Trini ... "is mas".

BTW one of my female Trini friends who is a teacher got this from one her students:

"What is to is, mus is."

"Pooch back" is a very useful Bajan phrase. All over the Caribbean we have "back back" but "pooch back" means that you "back back" with your posterior stuck out. In this Carnival season you can see the utility.

A useful phrase with no short English equivalent.

In reply to Headley

Dem Bajans corny yuh hear..awwww dey too cute...lol..

In reply to Headley

"Friends does kerry yuh buh dey doh bring yuh back"

In reply to bravos

Yes dem Bajans have some interesting ones. As I remember dem I will bring dem out.

This sounds like one that all parents of teenagers should have on standby.

In reply to bravos

man why you patronize we so?




Lawd, ef even yuh juk out meh eye I still know you.
Translation: do as you wish, you can't hide.

In reply to pelon

This one is new to me. "juk out meh eye" seems to be a Caribbean wide phrase though.

In reply to Headley

Yeah that's a big one..

In reply to pelon

Bim is meh second home and I is a man does always give family fatigue (light hearted banter)

In reply to Headley

"you giving meh fatigue" Light hearted teasing ole talk bout anything,girls anything,'fatigue' can also be delivered in a flattering kinda way...

"yuh know Headley have all de girls"


But you may not want others around to know that at the time.


Ah was jes givin dem Bajan some fatigue..

In reply to bravos

Yes "giving fatigue" is true Trini. Closely related to "ole talk" but not "mauvais lang".

In reply to Headley

Also related to 'mamaguay' ..

"Yuh mamaguyaing meh boy"

Like if you call a short man 'tall man',a thick ting 'slim'..or tell a fella how nice his wrecked car or bad work looking or sumn..

Even if you fooling somebody or simply laughing at them for any reason could be a mamaguay......

Frigging is as Yardie as it gets!

Nuff niceness here that Readers Bureau can build a story around!

In reply to bravos

Yardie sey nuh fatigue mi - meaning don't provoke me!

In reply to bravos

Yardie sey - yuh nyam fowl batty!

In reply to XDFIX

Last time I heard that one I was a pre-teen.

In reply to XDFIX

Isn't that everywhere?

In reply to black

I cannot speak for everywhere but I have not heard 'fatigue' used like that in Grenada, St. Vincent, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, BVI, Grand Cayman or St. Kitts.

In reply to Headley

Former Kingston Mayor (on billboards)

"Take your garbage and stuff it"

In reply to Phillip-3

"Same knife weh stick goat stick sheep". Saw this one in the Jamaica Observer today.

Seems to go through cycles of popularity. May depend on how many goats are available.

In reply to black

In fact, Jamaicans sey nuh fitigue

In reply to Headley

Trini version.. "Big gouti small gouti same bullet" (Agouti/wildmeat/any meat!)

In reply to XDFIX

Blessings to you oh humble servant...

" Every hoe have him stick a bush"


" If man nuh dead don't call him duppy"


" A we show you weh water walk go a pumpkin gut"


"When banana waan dead im shoot"

If Trump "tell yuh to run,stan up (stay still),..and if he tell yuh to stan up..RUN"!!

Something one would say about unreliable and inconsistent people..

'Crapaud foot' Trini for ugly illegible handwriting..

'Crapaud going to church' Dress up but wearing buss up shoes and tacky dress clothes etc.

'Dog ears' Unkept books with the corners creased over..usually school books..

In reply to bravos

In Jamaica we have "crab foot" for ineligible writing. "Dog ears" is the same. The others are not known to me.


This is one from Bim.

"Yuh can hide an buy land but yuh can't hide an wuk it."

Could be applicable to a certain chairman of selectors.

In reply to Headley


'Crapaud/crab foot,dog ears'...Lol nice..we all dotish alike..loool



"IF"..wah yuh tellin meh bout if ??..."If shit was sugar"

In reply to bravos

"See mi an come live wid mi a (are) two different things."

"From Adam was a lad."

I was away for a year...separated! But, my estranged wife tek me back...as soon as she hear that meh girly is a 21yo new amsterdamese - chick 30 years my junior!! Dont get jealous fellas...but, how about these guyneez slang/expression/idioms: Bang on (bangahn); Lime/liming (tree-knees n small islanders also use it); easy like, Tea & Water; selling like, Hot Cakes...run come quick/fast - common with jewmaycans N guyneez!

In reply to BeatDball

Congrats partner. Meh glad yuh wife tek yuh back. She should a lef yuh mek the 21year old kill yuh rats.




Use the above in a sentence so I can be sure I understood what yuh wrote.

In reply to Headley

Same here!



"From Adam"

"From when king hatchet was a hammer"

In reply to Headley

"When cock get teet" (Like it would never happen,very unlikely)..

In reply to bravos

Same in Ja. But it's a long time since I heard that one.


Here's a Bajan for you.

"Brek fuh yuself" which means, see about yourself or take care of your interests, don't be concerned with the interest of others.

I don't know that there is a similar expression in the other Caribbean countries.

Tt
In the 60's....instead of cussing......oui foote...

Or. 'Water more than flour'.....could be interpreted many ways.


'More in the mortar than the pestle'...theres more to see.


' making track for agouti to run' ....u eh the real deal...

In reply to Headley

Lol dem lillyputians soo funnny..

"I have no horse in dat race" (doh bizniss,not your concern,neutral or simply don't care)

In reply to johndom90



yuh is ah fart smeller,,,oh gosh oh gosh ah ah mean ah smart fella!!

In reply to bravos

lol...

In reply to johndom90

In Jamaica (as far as I know) we use it to mean "things are not going according to plan".

In Ja we say "Chip nuh fly far from block" which is the same as the English "The apple does not fall far from the tree".

In reply to bravos

Boy yuh funny, but yuh may not be able to go back to Bim.

In reply to Headley

All I have to do is wear a lil rainbow colours and I should be able to enter covertly,notice I chose my words very carefully,didn't wanna risk saying "slip in",don't wanna send any mix signals to our dear friends do we..lol..


Oh btw..."who vex lorse"..

In reply to bravos

Deading wid laff.

In reply to Headley

"Dat pelau calling meh name" "Dat bake and Shark callin meh name" Or any food or anything you see smell and like etc for that matter!!

"Trouble does come pan horse back and leff pan turtle back" heard that from a Bahamian taxi driver several years ago. He then proceeded to tell me about his experiences with his ex wife.

Think the Antigua expression for skettel is dutty foot

"Wash u foot an come" everyone is invited

"more in the mortar than the pestle"

In reply to bravos

Yes ah remember dat one. Yuh stirring up memories.

In reply to Benjie

Never heard that one before. Good to remember if yuh get put out.

I believe this one is used in other islands but I can't remember where. Maybe Jamaica. We need an oldster to confirm.

Sketel is 1960-70s Jamaican slang. Now Caribbean slang.


This is proper English. Yuh teacher would give good marks fuh this.

In reply to Headley U nyam parrot batty?!

In reply to Headley Yes, yes my good headley...tea N water; remember using it a lot as a lil bai in the 70s on leg 1 island. lemme see...here's a scenario: a group of lil bais liming N one of them asks, 'beatdball, u think u can beat headley?" Since i was a badjohn in those days, my reply would have been, 'steups, like tea N watah'!! Get it?! That expression is equivalent to the american - piece-a-cake, a walk in the park or like taking candy from a baby!

Meh amerindian fren used this one - cat eat u dinner! how about this one: piglet ask mom, why meh mouth so long! My estranged wife used this one: what falls from above will hit u shoulder then d ground or something like that...she still vexed N dont want to elaborate!

In reply to BeatDball

Yeah we have "yuh eat parrot ass"

But you sure these not from Bim? lol..

In reply to Headley

"Like goat shit on ah hill" Not too stable...

Dont overdo the do! Dont be extravagant. Jewmaycan chic that i used to date, died laffing when i used it!

In reply to bravos Meh primary school teacher, Miss Carmen Peters of Primary/Standard 2, rebuked me on my handwriting - what's that? Chicken scratch!!!

In reply to BeatDball

In Ja it continues like this.

"Yuh a grow, yuh will know".

In reply to bravos

Sounds agrarian - maybe from Lopinot or Paramin.

In reply to BeatDball

'Crapaud foot' here! (handwriting)..

In reply to Headley

You may have a point!! A damn good one at that!



"Higher monkey climb,de more he show he ass" Trump.

"Monkey know which tree to climb" . Saying a person knows who to mess with and who not to mess with..

'Monkey see monkey do' . 'Follow fashion'..

It's all about the monkeys,it's Trump day!

In reply to bravos

Intersting comparisons, similarities through the islands that.

Tt

' never see come see '

' wipe u beak like fowl'....after u eat...whatevet...

In reply to johndom90

Yeah 'never see come see' big here too..

Wiping your beak..I understand it as after yuh eat yuh belly full,even if is ladies yuh eat!

"watch him he wiping he beak,he eat he belly full"!! Trini shit talk..

In reply to bravos

I used to wonder how come we have so many "monkey" expressions in Ja when we have no monkeys.

Big in Ja too.

In reply to Headley

Popular in Guyana too.

I think someone here said it before.

My Granny use to say " Wah a joke fu chaffo ah death for Crappo " What a driver ( chauffeur) considers a joke i.e running over a frog is certain death for the creature.
Whats funny to you may be cause of distress to another.

" Gad nar sleep"

In reply to Benjie

In Ja we say "what is joke to boy is death to dog."

I believe in Tdad they say "what is joke to boy is death to crapaud."

" Gad nar sleep" - all across the Caribbean. That's why folks become Christians. They have a full time vengeful God at their disposal.

"Mouth open 'tory' jump out." Just had reason to use this one on the Track and Field thread.

In reply to Headley

Yes and "what is joke for school chirren is death for crapaud"..

I remember when I was 12-13 or thereabouts I went to summer camp in a nice private church/community centre with nice lush grounds and one night we were roasting potatoes and marshmallows and one of the counselors a popular bigger good looking boy who all the girls liked ran up to a crapaud and kicked it with all his strength,turned out to be a rock (bigstone to rass) in the dark with a crapaud silhouette,he probably though he could break the crapaud record with that big fella,it was hospital one time and crutches for the rest of that long summer..**ouch but you gotta laugh a little...strange enough boys my age we were rooting for the crapaud/rock,I guess in the end we appreciated the 'handicap',he definitely lost his shine and swag..lol

In reply to Headley

You on a Trini roll!


"Yuh getting on wassi"!!

In reply to bravos

We call them Crappo.

In reply to black

Nah we spell it in the true french way..but we pronounce it 'crappo' though!!

In reply to bravos

Ok, French word.

Call me an idiot.

guinea cock bring guinea hen - a make up story, an unbelievable excuse, a lie

Typically used by parents when I was younger. " I ask you why you come home so late and you telling me guinea cock bring guinea hen"

Folks always say that when Caribbean people leave the Caribbean they usually discover how similar they are. The similarity of these expressions shows how much we share in the vernacular. By the time the music, food and the cricket come een is one big 'cook-up'.

In reply to Headley

I always tell people I've traveled to major parts of the world and I never feel how I feel in a Caribbean country a few mins away,it's like a homecoming,its like family,you in foreign but you unnastan dem and dey unnasatn you and I don't mean accent etc,I mean in spirit and vibes...and I've noticed the same enthusiasm here with other islanders when they visit..

In reply to Benjie

I heard that described as "a cock-and-bull story" by the older folk.

In reply to Headley

Some of the Calypsonians and reggae singers are great sources of Caribbean expressions. Guys like Sparrow, Lovindeer, Pluto, etc, use lots of Caribbean expressions.

Lovindeer, for example, talks about his "dingobob" in Wild Gilbert, and "you caan have two bull inna same pen" in "Doan ben down", etc.

Sparrow was in a league by himself in this respect too!

In reply to Norm

Yes that was one of the strong points and songwriting tools the kaisonans employed. As you noted Sparrow was the master.

Bob Marley also used it a lot. "Simmer down", "chicken a merry, hawk de near", "who the cap fits", "everyday bucket a go a well'. In fact Marley could talk in parables and 'Jamaican expressions' at length, when he did not want to be too direct.

In reply to bravos

In my case almost every Caribbean Island I visit people ask me if I have family there.

I am in the Yard and hearing some expressions I haven't heard for a while.

Bob made "chicken a merry, hawk deh near" famous.

Here are some others.

"Trouble deh a bush, Anancy bring it come a yard."

"Dog nuh howl when him have bone."

"Tek sleep mark death."

More later.

In reply to Headley

Nice thread

In reply to Chrissy

Thanks. You will like this one.

"Cock mouth kill cock."
This is a favourite of Jamaican politics and it have been used to good effect on a few occasions. A well know example is below.

1. Same knife weh stick sheep stick goat

2. Thief from thief God laff

3. Weh gone bad a morning can’t come good a evening

4. Sorry fi maga (meager) dog, maga dog tun round bite yuh

In reply to Headley

"Yuh/meh foot short"

"Yuh have short foot"

When you just miss something or always missing out on something by reaching just a little too late.

In reply to Headley

"he living quite o quite"

"living behind god back"

Living far country or some hard to find place..

In reply to bravos

"Yuh have short foot"

Nice one. Never heard it before. Could be misinterpreted.


"he living quite o quite"

Remember hearing this one decades ago. Still like it.

Walk good - have a nice trip.
He belly full - he's complacent N doesn't GAS!

In reply to BeatDball

Hope you don't mind if I explain for those not familiar with the expression.

Walk good is an old Ja expression popularised by the late Ken Maxwell in the 1960-70s. Ken was a popular, white Jamaican comedian and raconteur. It has become very popular in the 140 characters era.

In reply to Headley Sah! Meh nuh jewmaycan....and I tort u were guyneez!
But, if I remembered correctly....in the 70s, I would hear Ole guyneez on leg 1 island use - walk good.

My wife's favorite - u nah have meh on bed-of-roses! Well, to be honest...this hard working chic has me on.....meh feel shame!

In reply to BeatDball

Just from reading this thread you will realise that a number of the old expressions are really used across the Caribbean and there are some that Jamaica and Guyana have in common. It was funny when Runs said that "bumbai" (meaning food put away for eating later) was a totally Guyanese expression only to find out that it is also used in Ja.

Well it seems you're a lucky man with a dedicated wife who will keep yuh on a bed of roses. Try to stay on her good side.

In reply to Headley

1. Don't bill bush fi mek monkey run race

2. Don't watch the noise in the market ... check yu change!


//

In reply to Ewart

Like this one. Never heard it before.




This one is known. Still surprises me how many monkey expressions and monkey stories we have in Jamaica and yet we have no monkeys. Never had as far as I know.

Is this evidence of the power of story telling and oral expressions to record our African culture? If so how much longer will it survive?

In reply to Headley I can clearly remember my granny using, bambai! Runs' from the city...meh from country...we don't say, bumbai!

In reply to BeatDball

I believe we say "bumbai" in Ja but cut me a little slack. Last time I heard "bumbai" or "bambai" Andy Roberts and Derrick Murray were playing cricket for the WI.