![]() ![]() One word featuring may be pronounced with a sound and then be swiftly followed by another featuring pronounced with a sound. These alternatives are often used interchangeably. Jamaicans will often use a or sound in place of the voiceless dental fricatives /θ/ as in “theory” and /ð/ as in “this”. But it boasts a unique combination of traits due to the influences of the various peoples that have ruled or populated the island over the centuries. The Jamaican accent is similar to many others in the Caribbean. What are the distinguishing features of the Jamaican accent? ![]() But it is standard English spellings and grammatical conventions which are primarily used. Economic ties to the United States and the popularity of American culture, including movies and music, have been factors in influencing the language that Jamaicans use. Inevitably, American English has also influenced the Jamaican dialect. Has American English influenced the Jamaican dialect? The English language and patois have moved beyond coexistence and are now intermingled. But the island’s history of successive invasions, slavery and piracy has seen multiple languages fused to create both a distinctive accent and the Jamaican patois. Following 300 years of British rule, English had become the principle language of Jamaica and remains the official language. Disturbances in the region continued until Jamaica gained its independence in 1962. However, the colonial culture remained dominant until the 1930s when the Rastafari movement began to gain traction. Hostilities between the English and the communities of the interior continued. Slavery was officially abolished in Jamaica in 1834. The British also became embroiled in several wars with the mountain communities that had evolved from the Arawaks and runaway slaves. It wasn’t long before Black African slaves greatly outnumbered their white British masters and many uprisings ensued. ![]() Hundreds of thousands of African slaves were transported to Jamaica to work on British-owned plantations. By the 18 th century, the Jamaican economy was mainly supported by growing sugar cane. There was much political turmoil on the Island and Piracy became the primary source of income. The English language had arrived in Jamaica and as it was the language of those who now ruled the country, its influence began to spread. The English invaded Jamaica in 1655 and defeated the Spanish. Why is English the official language of Jamaica? It isn’t hard to see how African dialects began to fuse with those of Spain and the Caribbean to produce a unique Patois. A few survived and retreated to the interior where they later mixed with runaway African slaves. In the 15 th century, the Spanish enslaved the Arawak people, most of whom subsequently died of diseases brought to the island by the Spanish. These tribes would have spoken their own unique language. They were followed by the Arawak tribes who probably travelled there from the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The Yamaye or Redware people arrived between 600 AD and 650 AD. Little is known of the earliest settlers. Humans have inhabited Jamaica since around 4000 BC. But the spelling conventions of the two languages are very different. The intonation and phonetics of the patois have influenced Jamaican English to the extent that natives of the Island are clearly identifiable, whichever language they are speaking. Jamaican patois boasts a musical quality and is a unique blend of English, Spanish, Portuguese, Jamaican slang and phrases of African origin. Most Jamaicans will use Patois to a lesser or greater extent and so numerous Patois words and phrases have crept into Jamaican English. But generally, the distinction between the two languages isn’t clear. ![]() In many rural Jamaican homes, only Patois is spoken while in the majority of the more affluent homes only Jamaican English is spoken. As many natives use patois when speaking informally between themselves but Jamaican English in more formal settings, the lines between the two languages have inevitably become blurred. However, the island is also notable for its Creole patois. The official language of Jamaica is Jamaican Standard English, a variety of Standard English. ![]()
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