[lit-ideas] Re: Trini talk, (was Colemanballs)
- From: David Ritchie <ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 09:38:40 -0800
On Feb 3, 2009, at 5:04 AM, Donal McEvoy wrote:
That is some of the funniest stuff ever. From the
'related links' that
are on the right side of the screen, it appears that there
is a series
of "Look Around You" videos.
It was a BBC tv series. You may also like the co-writer's own
sketch show. Patchy, but I do like this character:-
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vjnuBTPOaKY
Now here's where a little learning is particularly useful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA06jbROmMM&feature=related
I found an error! Woohoo! There's no "s" on "ting." My Trini
dictionary is still coming in the post but "an' ting" means something
like etc. And I'm pretty sure...sure-ish...they drop the "s" in
plurals. So no "tings."
I returned home very interested in Trini, a language created by
people who live there, for people who live there. "Eat a food, we is
we," means "tuck in, we're all friends here." A "dougla" is someone
of mixed-race heritage, which is lots of the folk on the island. The
island is one third Africans, one third Indians, one third
other...approx. But does this mean they have no racial categories?
Not a bit of it. Even today it seems to be O.K. to say, "He was a
Chineeman, from Japan."
Here's an excerpt from the advice column of the current issue of
"Dougla" magazine.
Dear Keisha,
Food is the worst part of every date with my boyfriend. I eat more
than him every time. In fact, most of the time he takes two bites
and says he's full. I, on the other hand, am usually just getting
started. Most times I just pretend I'm full too so as not to look
greedy; so yes, I do spend most of my dates hungry. Keisha, what
should I do? Keep quiet until he hears my stomach rumbling?
Am I mixed with chicken or am I just greedy?
["What," you say, "chickens are not notoriously heavy eaters."
"Mixed with," means inter-bred, chickens are birds of very little
brain.]
Dear Rishma
My advice to you is--Eat a food, drink a juice, and belch--all before
you leave home and maybe again when you come back. Let him get to
know you for you before he gets fixated on the fact that you may be
mixed with "lickrish".
More when I have studied more. Meanwhile repeat after me, "eat a
food, drink a juice, and belch." Try finding that in the Times.
David Ritchie,
who has seen Mr. Biswas' house, which is not in
Portland, Oregon
http://www.literarytraveler.com/authors/naipaul_biswas.aspx
http://www.douglatt.com/
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