Carolyn Cooper | Too thief or unconscionable? Tek yu pick!

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Long time now, Aunty Roachy tell wi seh fi wi Jamaican language “more direc an to de point dan English.” Shi did seh dat pon “Miss Lou’s Views.” Dat a one show weh Louise Bennett Coverley did av pon RJR from 1966 to 1982. Prof Mervyn Morris pick 50 a di story dem an put dem inna one book, Aunty Roachy Seh.

Miss Lou did love fi call up, call up Aunty Roachy name. It look like seh Aunty Roachy could a talk bout all kind a sinting weh Miss Lou never directly waa fi seh. A Aunty Roachy dweet. Di best joke, a Miss Lou did mek up Aunty Roachy. Ginalship! Di book come out inna 1993. But some a wi still nah listen Aunty Roachy. After 30 year! Wi nuh understand di power a fi wi Jamaican language.

Tek for instance, Jamaican ‘too thief’ an English ‘unconscionable.’ When wi seh smaddy too thief, nuff a wi understand same time. Dem corrupt! If wi seh dem unconscionable, some a wi no ketch i. Couple week aback, mi aks five somebody if dem know di word unconscionable. Dis a nuh one Don Anderson poll. Di people dem mi aks no represent di whole a fi wi society. One a housekeeper; two a gardener; an di next two a stonemason.

“UNFOUNDED COMMENTS”

By di way, mi see seh poor Mr Anderson ha fi a try explain how poll work. Im write one column, “On polls, pollsters and politicians,” weh Gleaner put out Sunday gone. Im seh, im waa “replace emotional, subjective and unfounded comments when polls results are released which do not favour one party.”

Inna fi mi lickle poll, di housekeeper an di two gardener never know unconscionable. Di two stonemason, Mr Winston Meredith an Mr Tony French did know. Dem change over di English word to Jamaican same time. Mr Meredith seh unconscionable mean, “Dyam thief!” An Misa French seh, “Nuh av nuh conscience.” Di two a dem right.

Di Oxford Languages Dictionary seh unconscionable mean “not right or reasonable.” An it gi one long string a word same like unconscionable: “Unethical, amoral, immoral, unprincipled, indefensible, wrong, unscrupulous, unfair, underhand, dishonourable, dishonest, corrupt, depraved, shady.” Dat sound like ‘too thief’! Same ting Aunty Roachy seh: Fi wi Jamaican language direct an to di point. An if yu a Jamaican an yu cyaan see dat, yu unconscionable fi true.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Lang taim nou, Aunty Roachy tel wi se fi wi Jamiekan langgwij “more direc an to de point dan English.” Shi did se dat pan “Miss Lou’s Views.” Dat a wan shuo we Louise Bennett Coverley did av pan RJR fram 1966 tu 1982. Prof Mervyn Morris pik 50 a di stuori dem an put dem ina wan buk, Aunty Roachy Seh.

Miss Lou did lov fi kaal op, kaal op Aunty Roachy niem. It luk laik se Aunty Roachy kuda taak bout aal kain a sinting we Miss Lou neva dairekli waan fi se. A Aunty Roachy dwiit. Di bes juok, a Miss Lou did mek op Aunty Roachy. Jinalship! Di buk kom out ina 1993. Bot som a wi stil naa lisn Aunty Roachy. Aafta 30 ier! Wi no andastan di powa a fi wi Jamiekan langgwij.

Tek far instans, Jamiekan ‘tuu tiif’ an Ingglish ‘unconscionable.’ Wen wi se smadi tuu tiif, nof a wi andastan siem taim. Dem korop! If wi se dem unconscionable, som a wi no kech i. Kopl wiik abak, mi aks faiv sombadi if dem nuo di word unconscionable. Dis a no wan Don Anderson puol. Di piipl dem mi aks no riprizent di uol a fi wi sosaiyati. Wan a ouskiipa; tuu a gyaadna; an di neks tuu a stuonmiesn.

“UNFOUNDED COMMENTS”

Bai di wie, mi si se puor Misa Anderson a fi a chrai eksplien ou puol work. Im rait wan kalom, “On polls, pollsters and politicians,” we Gleaner put out Sonde gaan. Im se, im waahn “replace emotional, subjective and unfounded comments when polls results are released which do not favour one party.”

Ina fi mi likl puol, di ouskiipa an di tuu gyaadna neva nuo unconscionable. Di tuu stuonmiesn, Misa Winston Meredith an Misa Tony French did nuo. Dem chienj uova di Ingglish word tu Jamiekan siem taim. Misa Meredith se unconscionable miin, “Dyam tiif!” An Misa French se, “No av no kanshens.” Di tuu a dem rait.

Di Oxford Languages Dictionary se unconscionable miin “not right or reasonable.” An it gi wan lang string a word siem laik unconscionable: “Unethical, amoral, immoral, unprincipled, indefensible, wrong, unscrupulous, unfair, underhand, dishonourable, dishonest, corrupt, depraved, shady.” Dat soun laik ‘tuu tiif’! Siem ting Aunty Roachy se: Fi wi Jamiekan langgwij dairek an tu di paint. An if yu a Jamiekan an yu kyaahn si dat, yu ankanshanebl fi chruu.

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.