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Jabari Authentic Jamaican Dictionary of the Jamic Language by Ras Jabari ISBN 10: 0975534254 ISBN 13: 978-0-9755342-5-0 LCCN: 2006005984 Publisher: Around the Way Books (May 2006) Catagory: Non-Fiction/Reference Book Retail Price: $22.99 On Sale Now for $9.99 |
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"A neat little pocket piece when setting out for 'Yard'." Caribbean Today, March 2007 "It's a very liberating feeling to see words I've known and used all my life and never seen it written to now have it in black and white." DJ Yonnie (Ebony) of Ebony & Ivory WRTN 93.5 FM – New York, NY "The best source of Rastafarian Argot and Jamaican words and phrases. This is a wonderful Jamaican Language book and reference tool for those planning their next Jamaican vacation." Wendy Williams, Jamaican enthusiast. To Read Articles Related to this Jamaican Language Book, click here. ----------------------------------------------------- Book Synopsis This user-friendly Jamaican language reference book includes over 3000 clear concise definitions of Jamaican words and phrases including: Jamaican Patwa/Patois, Rasta Iyaric, Jamaican Slang terms, and National heroes. Also included: Pronunciation Guide, Variants, Usage Notes, Parts of Speech, Cross References, Idioms, and a special section about Jamaica. Specifically designed for Jamaicans and those who want to learn the language. The essential travel guide for your next Jamaican vacation.
This unique book features:
----------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from the Book For a dictionary to be of any worth it must be simple and functional; it must provide concise, accurate definitions that will enable the user to apply a word or phrase in speech as well as in writing. Since the late 17th Century, English scholars of linguistic geography have been fascinated by the “broken English” that developed in Jamaica, because it represented a marked deviation from the standards of formal English - i.e. pronunciations, definitions, and so on. The legacy of this colloquial expression is rooted in the protest of enslaved Africans in Jamaica against British domination and indoctrination. These so-called slaves, forbidden to speak in their native tongues, eventually developed an alternative to the King’s English, incorporating words from their various West African languages, namely Akan, Igbo, Wolof, and Twi, as well as several others; thus giving birth to the Jamaican vernacular, popularly known today as Jamaican Creole or Patois (Patwa). It must be noted, as well, that the Rastafari Movement, through the 1950s to the 1990s, is responsible for broadening the understanding and application of the Patwa/Patois dialect. Rastas formed their own argot: Iyaric. This lingo was developed in the spirit of self-determination and with the goal of harnessing the power of a word and its sound. The “I” or “i” is the most significant letter of the Iyaric alphabet, and is often placed before or used to replace a base word, as in the cases of Ithiopia, instead of Ethiopia, or I-an-I, instead of you and I, among others. This Rastafari speech pattern is called the “Principle of Word + Sound = Power” (W+S=P), a phonetic system that inflects specific words, depending on their sounds, to make them appropriate in the context that they are used. For example: WORD SOUND POWER/MEANING appreciate (appre-shi-hate) appreshilove oppressor (up-pressor) downpressor understand (under-stand) overstand The Jamaican culture is diverse, as anyone familiar with it can attest, and Jamaican words and phrases differ slightly from parish to parish. At times the contrast between urban and rural, city and country, is so marked that words take on completely different sounds or meanings. The Jabari Authentic Jamaican Dictionary of the Jamic Language is a landmark achievement in the effort of Jamaicans to preserve and enhance their hard-earned linguistic legacy. This is indeed true, considering that the words presented in this compilation are standard - meaning, they are commonly understood throughout the island. Although the vast majority of the words and phrases in the Jabari Authentic Jamaican Dictionary are Patwa/Patois, many are adaptations of the African American vernacular that were acculturated by Jamaican immigrant workers during the 19th and 20th Centuries. They are nonetheless rich in meaning and sound utterance. There is no inflected word application in Jamaican Patwa/Patois, wherein a word is changed to indicate features such as person (gender), tense (present, past, future), or number (singular, plural). The user will even find English-spelled words taking on brand new meanings. In addition, many of the entries are regarded as “bad words” - meaning, they are obscene, vulgar or offensive. In these cases, user discretion is advised. Admittedly, there is a great demand on the user to make a smooth transition into the linguistic patterns of Jamaican Patwa/Patois, because of the challenge to pronounce new sounds - be they nasal, guttural or lingual. The Jabari Authentic Jamaican Dictionary ensures the success of this challenge. In fact, it is useable throughout the entire English-speaking Caribbean, namely Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, as well as the Bahamas and Virgin Islands. Importantly, this multi-dialect Patwa dictionary is user-friendly, and will appeal to laypeople as well as the literati. It will take the user to Jamaica and at the same time bring Jamaica to him or her; it will prove helpful in a practical way to those who desire to master Jamaican Patwa/Patois in a few weeks or in their lifetime; and it will be useful to anyone planning to visit the Edenic island and engaging in light conversation with Jamaicans. We trust that this Patwa dictionary will be the ideal self-teaching tool for the home, school, office, social club, public library, tourist resort, and for your next Caribbean vacation. -----------------------------------------------------
Jabari Authentic Jamaican Dictionary by Ras Jabari LEAVE US FEEDBACK ON THIS TITLE ----------------------------------------------------- About the Editor Ras Jabari grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. He graduated from Kingston College in 1976 and migrated to New York two years later. He is the father of two sons, Carlos and Kevin. Ras Jabari's second book, Chronicles of a Hot Stepper, was published November 2007 through Around the Way Books. He currently resides in upstate New York.
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