Carolyn Cooper | Missa Samuda pull rank pon guardy

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Mi nah lost mi pass go call di honourable Karl Samuda ‘Massa.’ A ‘Missa’ mi seh. Mi do know seh di honourable Nigel Clarke go inna Parliament an run up im mout bout ‘massa’ nah nutten fi do wid bakra inna dem ya time. Ascorden to im, ‘massa’ simple mean ‘power.’ An it look like seh nobody inna fi im party nuh tell im seh im a form fool. Dem a gwaan like seh im a chat sense.

Inna Jamaica, massa an bakra cut offa di same claat. Full a blood an sufferation. Dat a fi wi history. An it still a gwaan. So me nah romp wid di word ‘massa.’ Next ting, it outa road seh mi a call Missa Samuda bakra massa. Notn nuh go so. From wat mi can see, Missa Samuda a nuh nuh bakra. Im no white to dat. Im might a pass fi white inna Jamaica. Not eena foreign.

‘RIDING A HIGH HORSE’

Massa or nuh massa, mi nuh like how Missa Samuda a treat di security guard dem. Im a minister a labour an social security. An it look like seh im nuh business wid di security guard dem social security more than suh. All Gleaner editor a fi a haul im up. See dis ya headline Wednesday gone: “Riding a high horse.” Gleaner seh, “If Mr Samuda has not yet changed course, he should be ordered by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to dismount the high horse and engage [with] security guards, who claim they are being pressured by employers to sign away their rights to keep their jobs.”

Hear how Cambridge dictionary explain “come/get (down) off your high horse:” “to stop talking as if you were better or more clever than other people.” Seet deh now! Ascorden to Gleaner, Missa Samuda seh di security guard dem “officious and rude” fi keep up demonstration front a im office. Wa im mean? After dem a nuh pikini! Dem a big man an big woman. Tings hard wid dem. An dem a fi mek noise bout fi dem situation.

Inna English, di first meaning a ‘officious’ a good sinting. It come from Latin, ‘officiosus.’ Same root lacka ‘office.’ An it mean seh yu do yu work gud. Time pass, an ‘officious’ tek on one next meaning, weh nuh good at all: force up yuself pon people a gi advice weh dem nuh aks fa. Dat a kind a like how wi use di word ina fi wi Jamaica language: fly past yu nest.

Di security guard dem “officious” inna di old-time English way. Dem a do fi dem work an a look after fi dem business same time. An Misa Samuda im well “officious and rude,” inna fi wi language, wid im outa order self, a gwaan like seh im better than di security guard dem. Mi a wonder now if Missa Samuda tink seh im a massa fi true. Long time aback, a ongle bakra massa did ride horse. Jack Mandora mi nuh choose none.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Mi naa laas mi paas go kaal di anarebl Karl Samuda ‘Maasa.’ A ‘Misa’ mi se. Mi du nuo se di anarebl Nigel Clarke go ina Paaliment an ron op im mout bout ‘maasa’ naa notn fi du wid bakra ina dem ya taim. Azkaadn tu im, ‘maasa’ simpl miin ‘powa.’ An it luk laik se nobadi ina fi im paati no tel im se im a faam fuul. Dem a gwaan laik se im a chat sens.

Ina Jamieka, maasa an bakra kot aafa di siem klaat. Ful a blod an sofarieshan. Dat a fi wi ischri. An it stil a gwaan. So mii naa ramp wid di wod ‘maasa.’ Neks ting, it outa ruod se mi a kaal Misa Samuda bakra maasa. Notn no go so. Fram wat mi kyan si, Misa Samuda a no no bakra. Im no wait tu dat. Im maita paas fi wait ina Jamieka. Nat iina farin.

‘RIDING A HIGH HORSE’

Maasa ar no maasa, mi no laik ou Misa Samuda a chriit di sikyorti gyaad dem. Im a minista a lieba an suoshal sikyoriti. An it luk laik se im no bizniz wid di sikyoriti gyaad dem suoshal sikyoriti muor dan so. Aal Gleaner edita a fi a aal im op. Si dis ya edlain Wenzde gaan: “Riding a high horse.” Gleaner se, “If Mr Samuda has not yet changed course, he should be ordered by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to dismount the high horse and engage [with] security guards, who claim they are being pressured by employers to sign away their rights to keep their jobs.”

Ier ou Cambridge dikshaneri eksplien “come/get (down) off your high horse:” “to stop talking as if you were better or more clever than other people.” Siit de nou! Azkaadn tu Gleaner, Misa Samuda se di sikyoriti gyaad dem “officious and rude” fi kip op demanschrieshan front a im afis. Wa im miin? Aafta dem a no pikini! Dem a big man an big uman. Tingz aad wid dem. An dem a fi mek naiz bout fi dem sityuwieshan.

Ina Ingglish, di fos miinin a ‘officious’ a gud sinting. It kom fram Latin, ‘officiosus.’ Siem ruut laka ‘office.’ An it miin se yu du yu wok gud. Taim paas, an ‘officious’ tek aan wan neks miinin, we no gud at aal: fuos op yuself pan piipl a gi advais we dem no aks fa. Dat a kaina laik ou wi yuuz di wod ina fi wi Jamieka langgwij: flai paas yu nes.

Di sikyoriti gyaad dem “officious” ina di uol-taim Ingglish wie. Dem a du fi dem wok an a luk aafta fi dem bizniz siem taim. An Misa Samuda im wel “officious and rude,” ina fi wi langgwij, wid im outa aada self, a gwaan laik se im beta dan di sikyorti gyaad dem. Mi a wanda nou if Misa Samuda tingk se im a maasa fi chruu. Lang taim abak, a ongl bakra maasa did raid aas. Jak Manduora mi no chuuz non.

For an English translation, visit carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com.

- Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a teacher of English language and literature and a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com