It’ss a It
Trin i Thing
Talk de Talk
Illustration by Keith Anderson
by Sheldon Waithe
38
The Ins & Outs of Trinidad and Tobago
“Dis man mamaguy me and cause one set of bacchanal, leaving me feeling like a real cunumunu!” To the uninitiated, this statement looks like a few bits of English mixed with excerpts from another language; to those accustomed to such language, it still appears strange when seen in print. This departure from the standard English language is our T&T dialect. One of the beauties of the Caribbean is the stark differences that exist between islands in such proximity and this very much applies to the vernacular of each island—the colloquialisms form the culture of each nation, more striking than the landscape, food and music. Mix in the various accents and it’s enough to confuse even the locals! Trinidad and Tobago’s dialect is derived from its rich and varied history, incorporating the Spanish, French and English colonial influences and it goes against anything taught in school regarding singular mixed with plural, past versus present tense and a host of other grammar parameters. Where else would two separate languages of French and English be combined to emphasise a simple “yes” with the commonly used reply, “Yeah Oui”? However, not everything is expanded or duplicated, Trinbagonians usually take the shortcut option in their dialect, opting for one word that could sum up a whole sentence. Thus, a vaps explains someone suddenly behaving in a manner different to the norm. The description that one is involved in ting insinuates that the person is involved in any number of questionable activities but perhaps gets the accuser off the hook for slander. While the latter at least provides some comprehension as to what is meant, most of the slang in T&T can be a complete disparity between the words and their meaning, in short, not so much dialect as a language of its own—a jook is a poke which can be part of the courting process where a boy likes a girl and will constantly touch her for attention. If the girl resists his advances leaving him melancholy, this results in a tabanca often used among friends to “wild” or ridicule the victim…the act of giving picong. Picong is vital as it is a mainstay of most groups of friends and family in T&T; the ability to take picong dished out daily in all manner of dialect is a core value for the Trini, you have to be able to laugh at yourself or you will be accused of being “thin skin.” But it is in the delivery of the T&T dialect where the most emphasis occurs. An already expressive parlance is further accentuated by our insistence on “speaking with the hands.” A good story laden with slang is useless unless matched with enough gesticulations that makes one appear to be guiding a plane on an airport tarmac. A snap, flick of the wrist, allayed to sound effects like pow (a shot) bradam (crash) and whistles, paints as clear a picture as any movie… even if typically, the story changes with each telling. The easier slangs are derived from the simple substitution of letters, thus most people have their favourite Tanty, a much more affectionate term than Aunty. This Tanty will regale you with stories of all manner of local folklore, which in itself is a language within the dialect comprising Douens, Soucouyants and Papa Bois; a clear indication of the heavy French influence upon the way we speak. Confused? As with any language, it is best that you immerse yourself into the society for the best grasp of the T&T dialect, though have no fear, you will grasp it sooner than you think. And in case you’re wondering, that opening sentence roughly translated is, “The man tricked me and caused a lot of confusion, leaving me feeling like a fool.” Sounds better in T&T dialect, no?