my Bahamianese glossary (wip)
from when I was young i was that kid that fought with the teacher about learning the queen’s english and was constantly beaten because I spoke wrong, etc.
for such a long time Bahamian Creole, Bahamianese, Bahamian Dialect, wasn’t considered its own language with its own set of rules and inflictions and whatever.
to be fair, it still isn’t but atleast the people i surround myself with discard the thought that it’s just “bad” or “broken” english
when a group of Bahamians speak to each other, they understand each other.
so, respectfully, yah mah.
DISCLAIMER: there are rules to the spelling and pronunciation guides of Bahamian words, sayings and phrases. i follow none of those laws. in terms of making the Dialect more accessible to a wider audience i’m just spelling the language out phonetically and asking a bunch of my friends if they agree or disagree.
tanks tah errybody fah dey free time!
a
afta
after
b
be hayva
behave
bey
expression, ungendered
bei
bey, alternate spelling
bui
bey, alternate spelling
subjective: has a different sound and connotation
broughtupsy
manners
buncha
a bunch of
plenty of
c
d
dat
that
das
that’s
that is
dog don bark at park car
expression, people only make a scene when you are on the path to success
e
een
am not
is not
ain’t
ein
alternate, een
ent
alternate, een
f
fadda
father
g
ga
will
going to
h
ha
how
ha it go
how are you doing
i
ise
I am
I is
alternate, ise
isa
I is a
I am a
issa
alternate, isa
isa ah
alternate, isa
ize
alternate, isa
m
mudda
mother
s
spry
a light rain
a drizzle
sprying
spry, active
t
ting
thing
tuff
tough
u
une
you are not
you will not
une ga dead
you will not die
leigh ann 