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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 08:38:35 AM

Title: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 08:38:35 AM
I believe we Trinbagonians should acknowlege our Trini language as ah standard and seperate language (like spanish, English, French..etc)...Ah doh believe we language is English and people who keep on sayin dat eh facing reality...Haiti language is rooted from french but their authorities has classified it as ah sperate standard language because its not French..Ah lot of Trini words are not rooted from de English language....I do believe English should be taught in schools like Spanish because in dis day and age its beneficial to be bi-lingual.....De local media should start printin in we native tongue and someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary......Our language is one of de main tings dat seperate we from de rest of de world and something we should cherish and be proud about....wat is allyuh opinion?
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: dcs on April 27, 2007, 08:54:52 AM



I don't think the use of slang warrants a formal recognition of a new language.  Do you think it is more than just slang...like the constructs of the language?

Do you think people in Liverpool should have their own language?  I not being facetious, what about Antigua, Barbados, Grenada..... I'll concede JA  :devil:
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: TriniCana on April 27, 2007, 08:57:06 AM
hear nah...if its one day i staying in this thread just to hear the responses is today.
good thread problems

I LOVE meh trini slang/diaglect. But my diction is not as STRONG and RAW as some others.  I will not speak it or write it in my line of work.

I strongly believe there is a time and place for everything, and I can't see me speaking in my "native" tongue: "boy bring ya ass here nah" to meh peers or bosses.
I don't know how others "outside" trinis feel about this

meh 3 cents
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 08:58:36 AM



I don't think the use of slang warrants a formal recognition of a new language.  Do you think it is more than just slang...like the constructs of the language?

Do you think people in Liverpool should have their own language?  I not being facetious, what about Antigua, Barbados, Grenada..... I'll concede JA  :devil:

We native tongue is nuh slang....It have slang words used within we language...We native tongue is ah complete different languge to English...
When a foreigner ask yuh what is de standard language in yuh country..wha yuh say?....It cah be English!!
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 09:00:26 AM
hear nah...if its one day i staying in this thread just to hear the responses is today.
good thread problems

I LOVE meh trini slang/diaglect. But my diction is not as STRONG and RAW as some others.  I will not speak it or write it in my line of work.

I strongly believe there is a time and place for everything, and I can't see me speaking in my "native" tongue: "boy bring ya ass here nah" to meh peers or bosses.
I don't know how others "outside" trinis feel about this

meh 3 cents


Wha yuh sayin!...yuh cah speak yuh native tongue and not curse?
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Tallman on April 27, 2007, 09:36:17 AM
...someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary...
We already have a dictionary:
Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary by John Mendes
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: WestCoast on April 27, 2007, 10:36:42 AM
I fully agree.....there is french, german, and many other languages, so I think we should have a TnT language.
but will only be used in TnT obviously....my polish buddy doh spek polish to me here in canada.....

...someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary...
We already have a dictionary:
Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary by John Mendes
I say that it should also be in the form of any other dictionary like the Oxford dictionary wherein Each citation has the following elements:
the word itself
an example of the word used in context
bibliographic information about the source from which the word and example were taken.
In other words Etymology
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: TriniCana on April 27, 2007, 10:41:23 AM
hear nah...if its one day i staying in this thread just to hear the responses is today.
good thread problems

I LOVE meh trini slang/diaglect. But my diction is not as STRONG and RAW as some others.  I will not speak it or write it in my line of work.

I strongly believe there is a time and place for everything, and I can't see me speaking in my "native" tongue: "boy bring ya ass here nah" to meh peers or bosses.
I don't know how others "outside" trinis feel about this

meh 3 cents


Wha yuh sayin!...yuh cah speak yuh native tongue and not curse?

yes i can...can you, can others ?
but my native tongue is english eh.

go to an interview for a job and speak your 'native' tongue, and let me know the outcome of it
a simple phrase "steups, hear nah" to be said in front of your potiental boss ??


Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 10:41:56 AM
I fully agree.....there is french, german, and many other languages, so I think we should have a TnT language.
but will only be used in TnT obviously....my polish buddy doh spek polish to me here in canada.....

...someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary...
We already have a dictionary:
Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary by John Mendes
I say that it should also be in the form of any other dictionary like the Oxford dictionary wherein Each citation has the following elements:
the word itself
an example of the word used in context
bibliographic information about the source from which the word and example were taken.
In other words Etymology


Thank you!!..That's all I'm saying...Of course we cah speak we language to foreigners on foreign soil (because its difficult for dem to understand we language)..yuh doh see Haitians speaking french to their american employers at their jobs in the U.S!!...Trinidad and Tobago should acknowlege our native tongue as ah sperate language and it should be used exclusively at home
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 10:44:13 AM
hear nah...if its one day i staying in this thread just to hear the responses is today.
good thread problems

I LOVE meh trini slang/diaglect. But my diction is not as STRONG and RAW as some others.  I will not speak it or write it in my line of work.

I strongly believe there is a time and place for everything, and I can't see me speaking in my "native" tongue: "boy bring ya ass here nah" to meh peers or bosses.
I don't know how others "outside" trinis feel about this

meh 3 cents


Wha yuh sayin!...yuh cah speak yuh native tongue and not curse?

yes i can...can you, can others ?
but my native tongue is english eh.

go to an interview for a job and speak your 'native' tongue, and let me know the outcome of it
a simple phrase "steups, hear nah" to be said in front of your potiental boss ??




Of course you will have to speak the English language in a country that has English as their main language..That does not relate to this topic!!....I am talking bout our native tongue should be acknowledged as a language..and should be used exclusively in T&T...some Trinis livin in denial and sayin we native tongue is de same as de English language!!..

The authorities in Trini need to classify we language as we main language and de media should start publishing in we Trini language...we so quick to follow de English or American systems..Why cant we develop we own system?
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Tallman on April 27, 2007, 11:07:14 AM
I fully agree.....there is french, german, and many other languages, so I think we should have a TnT language.
but will only be used in TnT obviously....my polish buddy doh spek polish to me here in canada.....

Yuh mean used between Trinbagonians as well as other Caribbean folk.

...someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary...
We already have a dictionary:
Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary by John Mendes
I say that it should also be in the form of any other dictionary like the Oxford dictionary wherein Each citation has the following elements:
the word itself
an example of the word used in context
bibliographic information about the source from which the word and example were taken.
In other words Etymology
De only ting it missing is de Etymology. It also has a section containing sayings such as "Sickness does come on horseback buh it does walk tuh go", "Where horse tie, is dere he have to graze" etc.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 11:09:25 AM
The difference with trini(english)which could support a case for being its own language is the blend of so many different languages into its own unique blend like no other. amerindian, spanish, french, portuguese, chinnese(at leats in the food nomenculture) hindi,english. The fusion has mad our brand of english its own.
Now our english has be watered down with american dialect and slang.
 We have words fused from 2 different languges (lecole biche). english is composed just liek that alot of latin and greek words come together to give english its present form.
Should it be offical maybe not but we cant let the dialect die cause its an integrl part of our heritage and identity.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: chinee boi on April 27, 2007, 11:26:26 AM
and may i ask what do you propose we call our language??????
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Girl Warrior on April 27, 2007, 11:31:15 AM
http://www.roxcie.com/dictionary.htm

http://www.trinidictionary.net/
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 11:36:37 AM
and may i ask what do you propose we call our language??????

in Japan they speak Japaneese..in England they speak English..so in Trinbago we speak Trinbagonian (or trinidadian/tobagonian)...and watevah name de language is called is nuh de most important ting on de agenda..

Wen a foreigner ask me what language do we mainly speak in my home country .I always say Trini..becuase I've learned the English language I know Trini and English is nuh de same (Its not pronounced and  not even writtten the same)..and alot of words in our language does not exist in de English language...but de older heads in authority still livin in denial...dem still holding on to dat colonised mentailty...for those who dont know ..we were independent since 1962...we could make our own rules..
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 11:42:36 AM
http://www.roxcie.com/dictionary.htm

http://www.trinidictionary.net/
BC pires had a good one called the skettictionary.
but its no more sadly. people use to send in words / phrases and thier menaing.
was pure kicks
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: dcs on April 27, 2007, 11:45:52 AM

What are the Pros and Cons of this idea?
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 11:52:34 AM

What are the Pros and Cons of this idea?

That's my point it should not even be an idea...It's something that should have been done a long time ago....I understand its important for us to be bi-lingual hence the reason I will agree that English should be taught in our schools.....but English is NOT our first language in T&T....de authorities keep saying that the language we speak (our native tongue) in T&T is English.(and if you can speak English then you will know they are mis-leading the people)....and de media keep publishing in  English...wha wrong in printing in we own patriotic native tongue!....I dont think it will change anytime soon because we have men in authority who are stuck in that 1960's and 1970's mentality (colonised mentality) and think we have to follow other countries instead of seeing we have own own unique ting...
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 11:55:42 AM

What are the Pros and Cons of this idea?

That's my point it should not even be an idea...It's something that should have been done a long time ago....I understand its important for us to be bi-lingual hence the reason I will agree that English should be taught in our schools.....but English is NOT our first language in T&T....de authorities keep saying that the language we speak (our native tongue) in T&T is English.(and if you can speak English then you will know they are mis-leading the people)....and de media keep publishing in  English...wha wrong in printing in we own patriotic native tongue!....I dont think it will change anytime soon because we have men in authority who are stuck in that 1960's and 1970's mentality (colonised mentality) and think we have to follow other countries instead of seeing we have own own unique ting...
but it not practical or appliciable really ina  world where alot of languages disspearing form use.
english has be come so dominant that alot of other languages fading fast.
we can make sure we preseerve the language for prosterity but in my opnion dais about it.
it eh really amke sense using it in any offical capacity.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: ribbit on April 27, 2007, 12:01:23 PM
in france, i think they have a national academy that regulates the French language. for example, they recently introduced the french word "coureil" (sp?) meaning e-mail. the decision was that of the academy to add to the language in order to keep up with the times.

perhaps this model won't work in trinidad - we cyah agree with anyone on anything. how much hope is there for a common trinbagonian language?  ???
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: dcs on April 27, 2007, 12:03:18 PM
I want to hear from them experts on this subject. 

I not convinced there is this Trini native tongue thing that is much different from the evolution that occurs even in places within Britain itself....the US, Canada and wherever else.

So would you say Canada native tongue is not English (other than the French part).

I not familiar with the main difference between American English and British English other than some spelling.

Language is dynamic and I am all for studyng it and building up our knowledge base on it but I dunno about printing dialect in the papers (other than opinion pieces from people like Keith Smith if you like his style)

So what about the whole Ebonics debate then?
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 12:06:39 PM
I want to hear from them experts on this subject. 

I not convinced there is this Trini native tongue thing that is much different from the evolution that occurs even in places within Britain itself....the US, Canada and wherever else.

So would you say Canada native tongue is not English (other than the French part).

I not familiar with the main difference between American English and British English other than some spelling.

Language is dynamic and I am all for studyng it and building up our knowledge base on it but I dunno about printing dialect in the papers (other than opinion pieces from people like Keith Smith if you like his style)

So what about the whole Ebonics debate then?
YOUR PROBLEM IS YOU KEEP SAYING DIALECT!!..The authorities convince most people in T&T that we speak English but just with a dialect..If you know how to speak the English language then you will know that the English language and what we speak in Trini is not the same..and MY POINT is that we speak our own LANGUAGE...Go back and read my earlier responses where I said alot of words in our Language does not even exist in the English language. what we speak cannot be written or said in English either.....How old were you when you left T&T?..
Yeh and ebonics is 100% slang
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: WestCoast on April 27, 2007, 12:09:30 PM
can I direct some of you to please peruse the following website wherein you would find the Canadian Oxford Dictionary that contains words and phrases that are common only within Canada, but we speak English here........if we were to use these phrases in other parts of the world people would NOT UNDERSTAND what we are saying even thought that we indeed speak English.
http://www.oup.com/ca/genref/dictionaries/

Ok let me try another example

say in the UK when the Romans were there the language was what the Romans spoke but over the years the influences of all the other european languages crept into the day to day use of the average person there until we have what we have today and that is the Origins of English.

Man, I used to be sooo vex growing up and my step mother (she had been away from TnT for quite a few years) used to make it a point to tell me to "stop talking like that", as I used to say to myself eh eh this is My Country Language.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 12:18:30 PM
I want to hear from them experts on this subject. 

I not convinced there is this Trini native tongue thing that is much different from the evolution that occurs even in places within Britain itself....the US, Canada and wherever else.

So would you say Canada native tongue is not English (other than the French part).

I not familiar with the main difference between American English and British English other than some spelling.

Language is dynamic and I am all for studyng it and building up our knowledge base on it but I dunno about printing dialect in the papers (other than opinion pieces from people like Keith Smith if you like his style)

So what about the whole Ebonics debate then?
YOUR PROBLEM IS YOU KEEP SAYING DIALECT!!..The authorities convince most people in T&T that we speak English but just with a dialect..If you know how to speak the English language then you will know that the English language and what we speak in Trini is not the same..and MY POINT is that we speak our own LANGUAGE...Go back and read my earlier responses where I said alot of words in our Language does not even exist in the English language. what we speak cannot be written or said in English either.....How old were you when you left T&T?..
Yeh and ebonics is 100% slang
your right there. but the basis of our language is english u cant escape that. how i know cause we can communicate with other people who speaqk english rather eaisly cant we? 95% of what we say  can be comprehended by other meber s of the caribbean and other english speak countries.
we just have different intonations , speed and well de notorious sing song way of speaking.

ebonics is different i thing dcs. u cant forget most of trini words that arent stadard english have some basis in another langiage. ebonics is "made up words". words amde up to mean somehting that already have a meaning in english.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 12:29:08 PM
DCS  if u can ever get a chance to read these 2 books might help answer some ofn your mor pointed questions.
Publishing and Dialect in trinidad and tobago- Martin Orda
The language of tobago- gensis, structure and perspecives- Dr windford james and Valerie Youssef
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Blue on April 27, 2007, 12:35:10 PM
I believe we Trinbagonians should acknowlege our Trini language as ah standard and seperate language (like spanish, English, French..etc)...Ah doh believe we language is English and people who keep on sayin dat eh facing reality...Haiti language is rooted from french but their authorities has classified it as ah sperate standard language because its not French..Ah lot of Trini words are not rooted from de English language....I do believe English should be taught in schools like Spanish because in dis day and age its beneficial to be bi-lingual.....De local media should start printin in we native tongue and someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary......Our language is one of de main tings dat seperate we from de rest of de world and something we should cherish and be proud about....wat is allyuh opinion?

So you think we should formalise a language that only 1 million people would speak and, by making it our first language, effectively separating us from the rest of the world (in your words) and making international communication and business near impossible?

Rather than learn a genuinely useful foreign language, we should just invent one?

Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: WestCoast on April 27, 2007, 12:41:09 PM
So you think we should formalise a language that only 1 million people would speak and, by making it our first language, effectively separating us from the rest of the world (in your words) and making international communication and business near impossible?
Rather than learn a genuinely useful foreign language, we should just invent one?
You sound Ed Zachery like my Step Mother :devil: :devil:
 :-[ :-[
U R right ;)
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 12:50:15 PM
I believe we Trinbagonians should acknowlege our Trini language as ah standard and seperate language (like spanish, English, French..etc)...Ah doh believe we language is English and people who keep on sayin dat eh facing reality...Haiti language is rooted from french but their authorities has classified it as ah sperate standard language because its not French..Ah lot of Trini words are not rooted from de English language....I do believe English should be taught in schools like Spanish because in dis day and age its beneficial to be bi-lingual.....De local media should start printin in we native tongue and someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary......Our language is one of de main tings dat seperate we from de rest of de world and something we should cherish and be proud about....wat is allyuh opinion?

So you think we should formalise a language that only 1 million people would speak and, by making it our first language, effectively separating us from the rest of the world (in your words) and making international communication and business near impossible?

Rather than learn a genuinely useful foreign language, we should just invent one?



We do not have to formalise a language we already have our own language..its just not acknowleged as our main language..Its not like am saying everyone should go and learn how to speak what we already speaking everday in T&T LOL....The country is already speaking its native tongue but the authorities dont want to accept our native tongue as the main language...dem rather say "no we use to be colonised by england so our first languge will be English"...then our native tongue language will always just be spoken in websites like these and in party and fetes...But never in the newspapers or you will never hear a journalist speaking our native tongue on Television...(take a good look at Haiti and you will see how patriotic they are about their creole language)...and like I said before.. nothing is wrong with learning English because its beneficial to be bi-lingual...
Yeh and you dont see anything wrong with Trinbago using a foreign language as our main language?.(especially when we have our own native language) That's just a colonised mentality!!..
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 12:56:36 PM
I believe we Trinbagonians should acknowlege our Trini language as ah standard and seperate language (like spanish, English, French..etc)...Ah doh believe we language is English and people who keep on sayin dat eh facing reality...Haiti language is rooted from french but their authorities has classified it as ah sperate standard language because its not French..Ah lot of Trini words are not rooted from de English language....I do believe English should be taught in schools like Spanish because in dis day and age its beneficial to be bi-lingual.....De local media should start printin in we native tongue and someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary......Our language is one of de main tings dat seperate we from de rest of de world and something we should cherish and be proud about....wat is allyuh opinion?

So you think we should formalise a language that only 1 million people would speak and, by making it our first language, effectively separating us from the rest of the world (in your words) and making international communication and business near impossible?

Rather than learn a genuinely useful foreign language, we should just invent one?



We do not have to formalise a language we already have our own language..its just not acknowleged as our main language..Its not like am saying everyone should go and learn how to speak what we already speaking everday LOL.....and like I said before said nothing is wrong with learning English because its beneficial to be bi-lingual...
Yeh and you dont see anything wrong with Trinbago using a foreign language as our main language...(especially when we have our own native language) That's just a colonised mentality!!..
Trinidad has a unique culture, very unique. A major and defining part of a culture is its language. Trini is a very unique language. With that i argree with you.I alos think it should be preserved. Should it be mainstream it already is ,d ais hwo we talk. We use standard enlgish to commuicate formally, we use trini everyday.
I cant see a colonial mentaility.  Trini is a native language your right, but its still in use. We cannot use trini to communicate formally dat doesnt make sense problem. especially when dealing with other countries.
not practical
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 01:04:01 PM
I believe we Trinbagonians should acknowlege our Trini language as ah standard and seperate language (like spanish, English, French..etc)...Ah doh believe we language is English and people who keep on sayin dat eh facing reality...Haiti language is rooted from french but their authorities has classified it as ah sperate standard language because its not French..Ah lot of Trini words are not rooted from de English language....I do believe English should be taught in schools like Spanish because in dis day and age its beneficial to be bi-lingual.....De local media should start printin in we native tongue and someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary......Our language is one of de main tings dat seperate we from de rest of de world and something we should cherish and be proud about....wat is allyuh opinion?

So you think we should formalise a language that only 1 million people would speak and, by making it our first language, effectively separating us from the rest of the world (in your words) and making international communication and business near impossible?

Rather than learn a genuinely useful foreign language, we should just invent one?



We do not have to formalise a language we already have our own language..its just not acknowleged as our main language..Its not like am saying everyone should go and learn how to speak what we already speaking everday LOL.....and like I said before said nothing is wrong with learning English because its beneficial to be bi-lingual...
Yeh and you dont see anything wrong with Trinbago using a foreign language as our main language...(especially when we have our own native language) That's just a colonised mentality!!..
Trinidad has a unique culture, very unique. A major and defining part of a culture is its language. Trini is a very unique language. With that i argree with you.I alos think it should be preserved. Should it be mainstream it already is ,d ais hwo we talk. We use standard enlgish to commuicate formally, we use trini everyday.
I cant see a colonial mentaility.  Trini is a native language your right, but its still in use. We cannot use trini to communicate formally dat doesnt make sense problem. especially when dealing with other countries.
not practical

That's why I said its good to be Bi-lingual ...so when it comes to dealing with other countries we will speak their language.(or get ah damn translator like what most countries do!)..I'm sure the Haitian President or Venezuelan President cant speak all languages...and ah man say we should not have our own language because we just have about one million people...now that's a very narrow-minded way of thiinking.... but when my generation reaches in authority all of this shit would change because we see ourselves as Trinibagonians first then everything else comes after...the way we speak and the way we live has to revolve around our traditions and culture..what other people or countries think is not more important...the authorities today were born in a different generation...they idolise the foreign way of thinking instead of just accepting that we have evolved into our own unique way of life (which includes the way we speak and live)
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 01:07:14 PM
I believe we Trinbagonians should acknowlege our Trini language as ah standard and seperate language (like spanish, English, French..etc)...Ah doh believe we language is English and people who keep on sayin dat eh facing reality...Haiti language is rooted from french but their authorities has classified it as ah sperate standard language because its not French..Ah lot of Trini words are not rooted from de English language....I do believe English should be taught in schools like Spanish because in dis day and age its beneficial to be bi-lingual.....De local media should start printin in we native tongue and someone should print ah Trinbagonian dictionary......Our language is one of de main tings dat seperate we from de rest of de world and something we should cherish and be proud about....wat is allyuh opinion?

So you think we should formalise a language that only 1 million people would speak and, by making it our first language, effectively separating us from the rest of the world (in your words) and making international communication and business near impossible?

Rather than learn a genuinely useful foreign language, we should just invent one?



We do not have to formalise a language we already have our own language..its just not acknowleged as our main language..Its not like am saying everyone should go and learn how to speak what we already speaking everday LOL.....and like I said before said nothing is wrong with learning English because its beneficial to be bi-lingual...
Yeh and you dont see anything wrong with Trinbago using a foreign language as our main language...(especially when we have our own native language) That's just a colonised mentality!!..
Trinidad has a unique culture, very unique. A major and defining part of a culture is its language. Trini is a very unique language. With that i argree with you.I alos think it should be preserved. Should it be mainstream it already is ,d ais hwo we talk. We use standard enlgish to commuicate formally, we use trini everyday.
I cant see a colonial mentaility.  Trini is a native language your right, but its still in use. We cannot use trini to communicate formally dat doesnt make sense problem. especially when dealing with other countries.
not practical

That's why I said its good to be Bi-lingual ...so when it comes to dealing with other countries we will speak their language.(or get ah damn translator like what most countries do!)..I'm sure the Haitian President or Venezuelan President cant speak all languages...and ah man say we should not have our own language because we just have about one million people...now that's a very narrow-minded way of thininking....but when my generation reach in authority all of this shit would change because we see ourselves as Trinibagonians first then everything else comes after...the way we speak and the way we live has to revolove around our traditions and culture..what other people or countries think is not more important...the authorities today were born in a different generation...they idolise the foreign way of thinking instead of just accepting that we have evolved into our own unique way of life (which includes the way we speak and live)
well then by your definiton we alreayd bi lingual..lol
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Girl Warrior on April 27, 2007, 01:09:52 PM
http://www.roxcie.com/dictionary.htm

http://www.trinidictionary.net/
BC pires had a good one called the skettictionary.
but its no more sadly. people use to send in words / phrases and thier menaing.
was pure kicks

That was the first online trini dictionary that i could remember.... me and a freind in the office used to email a "word of the day" to coworkers. ah loved that too bad.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Organic on April 27, 2007, 01:12:33 PM
http://www.roxcie.com/dictionary.htm

http://www.trinidictionary.net/
BC pires had a good one called the skettictionary.
but its no more sadly. people use to send in words / phrases and thier menaing.
was pure kicks

That was the first online trini dictionary that i could remember.... me and a freind in the office used to email a "word of the day" to coworkers. ah loved that too bad.
the ones i use to get kicks off..was the subtle diferences between words like jammet, skettel, etc
and how many definitions it had for panday .lol
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Girl Warrior on April 27, 2007, 01:28:40 PM
http://www.roxcie.com/dictionary.htm

http://www.trinidictionary.net/
BC pires had a good one called the skettictionary.
but its no more sadly. people use to send in words / phrases and thier menaing.
was pure kicks

That was the first online trini dictionary that i could remember.... me and a freind in the office used to email a "word of the day" to coworkers. ah loved that too bad.
the ones i use to get kicks off..was the subtle diferences between words like jammet, skettel, etc
and how many definitions it had for panday .lol
ah remember that too... oh gorm dat was real kicks fuh true
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: DeSoWa on April 27, 2007, 01:30:26 PM
Problem ah agree with you in most part about keeping we trini talk...but ah don't agree on the part where u say it was native..like before the Europeans came..our trini talk has evolve over de years...as Hoe said, our "language" was born from other languages..English being the foundation, with french, hindi, spanish, patios and ah little chinese making de whole..at one time our language was mainly english and patios or french creole..and with every other language it is still growing and evolving, because now the USA influence from rap and hip hop has taking our lunguage to ah new hieghts  ;D
I know we are unique in de way we talk cuz nuff people here does ask me what language we speak in trinidad..ah remember a girl ah used to work with when ah jus came in de US came up to me one day and said..wow your english is very good for someone who jus came here  ;D I was like..thanks I am a quick learner  :rotfl:

Big Up!
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: dcs on April 27, 2007, 03:13:36 PM
According to Fifa 204 countries have entered the 2010 WC qualifying (http://fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,134690,00.html?articleid=134690)

Ok so now tell me why each and every one of them 204 countries shouldn't have their own language...their so called native tongue?

The whole world bi-lingual ent?  Well except England....dem only know English.  Maybe the pykes bi-lingual   ;D

Look Scottish people doh talk English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9uugVWW_XE)  ;)

problemjaydeess is friday raaaaaaa
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Touches on April 27, 2007, 08:05:36 PM
ProblemJaydees,

I not understanding you....we speak English in Trinidad.

You communicate to everyone on this board in English and you are typing English.

Now because you pronounce a word differently or spell it differently you want to classify it as a totally different language?

Or is it that words that we use in everyday language that trinis know...e.g Mako meh man, fass, commess etc. Are to be grouped together more words created and a new language be defined from that as our own?

I want you to enlighten all of us and give us an example of this "Language" you want to create.

Give us a one paragraph nah.....Translate a nursery rhyme or something?

Keep the age difference and colonial mentality and all them kinda ting out the arguement for now, it not adding substance to your arguement. Purport a valid reason for your claim and lets judge how feasible it is.

Also...what about all the slangs that we have imported from our cousins in the Caribbean and Up North, that we feel we create....e.g yuh done know. Etc. Or the setta Rasta talk that pervades the vocabulary of the youth of today? What going on in these instances?

Come nah translate Mary had a little lamb or something in this new language....

When you finish I will continue the questions....as of now I want you to develop the mustard seed yuh now plant.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 08:35:02 PM
ProblemJaydees,

I not understanding you....we speak English in Trinidad.

You communicate to everyone on this board in English and you are typing English.

Now because you pronounce a word differently or spell it differently you want to classify it as a totally different language?

Or is it that words that we use in everyday language that trinis know...e.g Mako meh man, fass, commess etc. Are to be grouped together more words created and a new language be defined from that as our own?

I want you to enlighten all of us and give us an example of this "Language" you want to create.

Give us a one paragraph nah.....Translate a nursery rhyme or something?

Keep the age difference and colonial mentality and all them kinda ting out the arguement for now, it not adding substance to your arguement. Purport a valid reason for your claim and lets judge how feasible it is.

Also...what about all the slangs that we have imported from our cousins in the Caribbean and Up North, that we feel we create....e.g yuh done know. Etc. Or the setta Rasta talk that pervades the vocabulary of the youth of today? What going on in these instances?

Come nah translate Mary had a little lamb or something in this new language....

When you finish I will continue the questions....as of now I want you to develop the mustard seed yuh now plant.


Touches yuh write ah long story dey for no reason...I know because a language is worded and spelt differently is not classifies as a language..(interesting you left out pronounced differently and may also have a different meaning)..Now yuh cah tell meh what to leave out and what to post in my responses because everything I write draw a reference to my analysis of the topic...So I will say it again the authorities still have a friggin colonised mentality...and what de hell yuh mean explain or define this "language" am talking about!! like YUH doh know how tuh speak yuh native tongue!!(language)...and Wow I didnt know I was speaking mostly English and not my native tongue on this site..No shit Touces I didnt know that!!...all the questions you ask me I've previously answered or explained in my previous responses...so go back and do some reading before yuh do all dat writing nah!..Now you are one of the people who believe what the average Trinbagonian speak in Trinbago is the English language..but I know that's not true...yuh living in denial
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Patterson on April 27, 2007, 08:54:49 PM
we're speaking a dialect of english..........no need for long talk bout own language

Definition of dialect as follows:

a variety of a language distinguished by certain features of grammar or vocabulary. For example, there is a Yorkshire/trinbago dialect of English, which contains words not used in standard English (which is in itself a dialect.).
www.tta.gov.uk/php/read.php

# the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people; "the immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English"; "he has a strong German accent"; "it has been said that a language is a dialect with an army and navy"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

# A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. The number of speakers, and the area itself, can be of size. It follows that a dialect for a larger area can contain plenty of (sub-) dialects, which in turn can contain dialects of yet smaller areas, et cetera.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialect

# a regional variety of a language differing from the standard language.
memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/educators/workshop/discover/vocab2.html

# a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties
www.iclasses.org/assets/literature/literary_glossary.cfm

Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Trini Madness on April 27, 2007, 10:05:53 PM
i see this eh going anywhere......in my mind i dont think we have our own "language". we have an accent and use the english language in our own little way, but most of it we use to talk to friends or family you know? you wouldnt talk like that in a interview with a big company would you? they'll kick yuh ass out in 2 seconds.
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: lickslikefire on April 27, 2007, 10:09:00 PM
Now you are one of the people who believe what the average Trinbagonian speak in Trinbago is the English language..but I know that's not true...yuh living in denial

 :rotfl: :rotfl: well yes, I've seen it all on this forum...apparently we do not speak English in T&T

breds yuh seriously have to take a trip to Glasgow or hear a Scouser speak....yuh will soon understand we speak english very clearly....



Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 10:16:25 PM
Now you are one of the people who believe what the average Trinbagonian speak in Trinbago is the English language..but I know that's not true...yuh living in denial

 :rotfl: :rotfl: well yes, I've seen it all on this forum...apparently we do not speak English in T&T

breds yuh seriously have to take a trip to Glasgow or hear a Scouser speak....yuh will soon understand we speak english very clearly....





:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Bredda de English language is not our native tongue..and we speak more of our native tongue than English in T&T ...like yuh was in Glasgow a little bit too long  :rotfl:
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 10:19:13 PM
i see this eh going anywhere......in my mind i dont think we have our own "language". we have an accent and use the english language in our own little way, but most of it we use to talk to friends or family you know? you wouldnt talk like that in a interview with a big company would you? they'll kick yuh ass out in 2 seconds.

Yes I agree that if you go for a job in a country where English is the main language then its expected that you speak English...so I still dont get your point... :devil:...sadly the T&T authorities acknowledges English as our main language
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: lickslikefire on April 27, 2007, 10:30:24 PM
i see this eh going anywhere......in my mind i dont think we have our own "language". we have an accent and use the english language in our own little way, but most of it we use to talk to friends or family you know? you wouldnt talk like that in a interview with a big company would you? they'll kick yuh ass out in 2 seconds.

Yes I agree that if you go for a job in a country where English is the main language then its expected that you speak English...so I still dont get your point... :devil:

Have you ever experienced an interview in Trinidad? 

If you speak in our "native english", that will probably decrease your chances significantly of getting a job in any decent sized firm.

I think that's his point  :beermug:
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Pro-Jayz on April 27, 2007, 10:58:33 PM
i see this eh going anywhere......in my mind i dont think we have our own "language". we have an accent and use the english language in our own little way, but most of it we use to talk to friends or family you know? you wouldnt talk like that in a interview with a big company would you? they'll kick yuh ass out in 2 seconds.

Yes I agree that if you go for a job in a country where English is the main language then its expected that you speak English...so I still dont get your point... :devil:

Have you ever experienced an interview in Trinidad? 

If you speak in our "native english", that will probably decrease your chances significantly of getting a job in any decent sized firm.

I think that's his point  :beermug:

Now I know you did not read the entire thread ...(because am going to repeat what I've been saying all through this thread).....I know its like that in T&T because the authorities classify English as our main language...which is sad because we have our unique native tongue...Now the authorities will say our native tongue should never be used in a formal setting because the authorities still have that colonised mentality...They think the foreign system is the best and are reluctant to develop our own system...If we had established our native tongue (language) as our main language years ago therefore our native tongue will have been used in formal setting today ...and now we will not be scornful to use our native tongue in a formal setting because it would have been something natural by now...In india they use Hindi (their main language) in their formal settings although most indians know how to speak English because is English is taught at a very young age in schools ..but they are patriotic about their culture and lifestyle (which includes the way they speak).You can use Haiti as  another example.T&T is still hanging on to that saying "we was last colonised by an English country so English will remain our main language and will always be used by the media and formal settings"...now after so many years of having this hypocrite identity its difficult for us to vision the transition of establishing our native tongue as our first and main language...and it seems we care alot about what other countries will think of us if we were to adapt our native tongue and classify it as ah official language...what can I say we living in a copy cat nation  :-\
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: TriniCana on April 27, 2007, 11:35:01 PM
i see this eh going anywhere......in my mind i dont think we have our own "language". we have an accent and use the english language in our own little way, but most of it we use to talk to friends or family you know? you wouldnt talk like that in a interview with a big company would you? they'll kick yuh ass out in 2 seconds.

Yes I agree that if you go for a job in a country where English is the main language then its expected that you speak English...so I still dont get your point... :devil:

Have you ever experienced an interview in Trinidad? 

If you speak in our "native english", that will probably decrease your chances significantly of getting a job in any decent sized firm.


I think that's his point  :beermug:


well Licks and trini madness when i said something along those same lines...ah get put in meh place, and ah hush up
and is only cause ah in ah reaaaaaaal good mood up to dis hour, me aint answer back yet.

i'm being open minded bout what problemjay trying to say

so Trinidadians and Tobagoians should have a native tongue...okay i hear ya
now, Tobagoians sound different to Trinidiadians....you would know who is the Tobagoian in the group
there are some Trinis that sound different to other Trinis, according to where they live....ah lie ?
and if you want me to spell it out for ya... in western Trinidad compared to deep south or east....you would know who from where.

right

Maybe the older heads could explain this to me....and if ah offend anybody by saying "older" heads, its really ah compliment.
if ya vex, froth.

Anyway, can Patois/Patwa be considered a native tongue ?? From what i understand back in the 40s-60s it was the "language" of choice. And i'm using was because its no longer spoken in TnT.

Languages spoken in TnT: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese, Patwa (less than 3%)

now they didn't say standard english, they said english
now it could be bad english, which, if you look at it, could be our native tongue (language)
so problemjay we have it already... ;D
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: Touches on April 28, 2007, 06:55:15 AM


...and what de hell yuh mean explain or define this "language" am talking about!! like YUH doh know how tuh speak yuh native tongue!!(language)...a

..Now you are one of the people who believe what the average Trinbagonian speak in Trinbago is the English language..but I know that's not true...yuh living in denial
Quote

Problem Jay Dees I asking you a simple question to understand where you coming from.

What is my native tongue?...yes we speak English in Trinidad but I still trying to come to grips with what you trying to say.

I not trying to shit you up in any way I am trying to understand what you saying. I have read all your posts and up to now you have not even given me an example of your language as you would like to identify it.

Are you trying to validate the slang which is used today as a language....to make it acceptable when dealing with outsiders?

Bear with me I lil slow.

Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: dcs on April 28, 2007, 08:41:58 AM

You have to rely on research and the definition of a language to determine if we speak something other than English....not your judgment or feeling.

Tell me why it shouldn't have 204 different native languages in the world then?  On what basis you defining a language and how does that compare to the accepted definition?

I just interested to know who is this "authority" you keep talking about like is them who decide we hadda speak English and not the public themselves.  Take a poll around the country and I guarantee it will show it have nothing to do with the "authorities" but the good sense of the people. (u cud call them colonial subjects (mentally) if you want)
Title: Dialect dilemma
Post by: Tallman on January 28, 2011, 07:06:38 PM
Dialect dilemma
BBC Caribbean


There's renewed debate in the Caribbean - some might say that in never ended - on the place of Caribbean dialects, Creole, Patois or 'native languages' as some refer to them.

At issue is their acceptance, and in the case of the English-speaking Caribbean, their place in an environment dominated by the English language in education and commerce.

A group of experts have signed a Charter for Language Rights and Policy for the Creole-speaking Caribbean, coming out of which are plans for a Regional Council of Language Policy and Rights.

This policy document is to be presented to regional governments as well to Caricom and the United Nations Education and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for adoption.

This issue continues to divide opinion.

In some countries in the Caribbean the local Creole is taught, while in some other circles it’s frowned on.

So what do you think?
What should be the role and place of Creole or Patois in Caribbean society?
Title: Re: Should de authorities make it ah standard language..?
Post by: 100% Barataria on January 28, 2011, 09:39:58 PM
Sorry I missed this before, well actually no, I am glad, but let me give this a try:

My Drive to Work Today (English)

I woke up extremely exhausted this morning after having a rough night with our new born.  Nonetheless, after having breakfast I decided to go to work (we have had some layoffs recently so not taking any chances).  Of course there was still much snow on the ground, so my average 45 minute commute took the better part of an hour and 15 minutes.  Arrived a little after 9 and started on the day's activities.  To my great surprised found very few people at the office, apparently I was the only stupid one who decided to come in today.  What do they say about being one of the chosen ones?  To add insult to injury, our site had some power difficulties and shut down after lunch, imagine that, I could have had a 3-day weekend

On the way to the plantation (Trinbagonian)

Fadder know, ah wake up tired fuh so, meh pickney keep me up all nite last nite.  Well, I not playin wid bablyon so inspite of all dis God forsaken snow ah tell mehself I will fire de wuk, not de odder way around.  After having meh lipton and crix and cheese, ah buss out, not gunnin it like normal, snow nah, cyar take dat chance.  Pull in de office normal normal after 9...dread, nobody else dey but me, ah feel like a shillin, cyar lie.  Anyway, ah tell mehself, Gopaul luck is not Seepaul luck, so stick around knock out plenty.  Well, eh, yuh believe after ah check out de warriors site fuh 2 hrs right around at 11AM current gone?  Ah tell mehself, nah, dis eh my day, ah mean, Con Ed come like TTEC
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