Languages Spoken in Jamaica: Exploring Jamaican Patois
Humans end up affecting each other, whether they wish to or not, and there are multiple things around us that act as proof of this. Neighboring nations share more similarities than would have been possible if they didn’t influence each other. Communities that used to co-exist still celebrate the same festivals even if they live thousands of miles apart now. Culture has been influenced the most in this way, but languages have not remained unaffected either. When the Romans ruled major areas of Europe, their language got adopted by different communities. However, the Latin of the Romans and that of the common people was very different.
Today, English enjoys the same position as Latin did during the time of the Roman empire. After the fall of the empire, Latin ended up getting divided into multiple vernaculars. It got mixed with regional tongues and developed into languages like Spanish, French, and Italian. When English reached far off lands due to colonization, it also mingled with local tongues. There are a few branches of it that developed as a result of this mingling. Some of them are going strong even today with a significant number of speakers.
Jamaica:
The third-largest island in the Caribbean has a population of almost three million. The history of Jamaica is proof of how badly the colonizers treated people in the past. African slaves worked on various plantations during the Spanish rule. But even after the British conquered the island and emancipated the African slaves, the region did not become free. The African slaves were replaced by Indians until Jamaica got its independence in 1962. Today, the country is known for producing the fastest men. The credit for that goes to the good diet of Jamaicans and the hard work of their coaches.
Jamaican Language:
A lot of people have no idea what the language of Jamaica is. If you, an English speaker, ever hear a native person speak, their word will sound quite familiar to you. That may come as a surprise to many people. But the more attention you pay to the language, the more it will make sense to you. The reason behind that is pretty simple; the Jamaica language is an English based creole.
It does have a lot of West African influences, but it is English that forms its base. During British rule, the African slaves came in contact with English frequently. They adapted it quickly by mixing it with their own tongues and formed the creole, which is the native language of Jamaicans today. It is also spoken by the Jamaican diaspora.
Fun Facts about Patois:
Known as Patois in the country, the vernacular of the Jamaicans is pretty fascinating. Here are a few interesting facts about it:
Despite being an English-based creole, Patois has a different pronunciation system. Its vocabulary also differs from English. But in the written form, the influences of the latter can be easily spotted. However, Patois is a spoken tongue for the most part and is used in music, particularly Reggae. English is the vernacular, which is mostly used for literary purposes. But after getting independence from the British, the natives have been trying to develop their own identity, and creating a written form of their tongue is one way to do that.
Patois has been considered an inferior language by many. Some people think of it as Jamaican slang. But in truth, it is a proper tongue with its own rules. The people of the country are slowly beginning to understand the importance of their vernacular and giving it the importance it deserves.
Reggae, the popular form of music which is known all over the globe, has given Patois more importance over the years. It is because of Reggae that foreigners decided to look up the tongue spoken in Jamaica. They wanted to understand what kind of a vernacular it is and why it sounds familiar at times.
Translation of Patois:
When it comes to a unique tongue like this one, it can be not very easy to find an accurate translation. And if you try your luck with online software, then you will definitely end up with a messy translation. The written Patois is even more complex and can only be understood by linguistic experts. There are many reasons why someone could require a Jamaican translation, but the only way to get an accurate one is by getting in touch with a qualified expert.
There are agencies that claim to offer accurate assistance, but the company that hires native translators is the only one you should trust. Their staff will be able to handle documents and audio clips in the best way possible, and you will get your accurate translations at affordable rates. Whether you wish to immigrate to Jamaica or need the linguistic assistance for entertainment content, getting in touch with the right experts is very important.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong when you are dealing with a foreign language. However, with the right kind of linguistic assistance, all your worries will be resolved. Finding a good agency can be a bit challenging but not if you get the help of the internet. The reviews left online by people can prove to be very helpful. They will tell you which service provider is not just making claims and actually deliver on their promises whenever they are assigned a project.
