Bahamian English

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Bahamian English is a dialect of English spoken in the Bahamas and by Bahamian diasporas. It should not be confused with Bahamian Creole, which is an English-based creole language.

Pronunciation [edit]

  • The Kit Vowel: The realization of the kit vowel in the Bahamian English is pretty much the same as in American English, the default [ɪ].
  • The Dress Vowel: The vowel of dress is [ɛ].
  • The Trap Vowel: This vowel is mostly [a] or [æ].
  • The Lot Vowel: As mostly of the US, this vowel is usually [ɑ].
  • The Strut Vowel: It is the same as in the US English, [ʌ].
  • The Foot Vowel: It is [ʊ].
  • The Fleece Vowel: It's [i] or a diphthong [ɪi].
  • The Face Diphthong: It's generally [eɪ] or [ɛɪ].
  • The Palm Vowel: It is mostly [ɑ].
  • The Thought Vowel: The vowel of thought is [ɔ].
  • The Goat Diphthong: It's generally [ɵʊ] or [oʊ].
  • The Near Diphthong: It's [eə] or [iə].
  • The Square Diphthong: It's [eə].
  • The Start Vowel: It's [ɑː].
  • The North Diphthong: The diphthong in north is usually [ɔə].
  • The Force Diphthong: The diphthong in force is usually [oə].
  • The Cure Diphthong: The diphthong in cure is usually [uə].
  • The Bath Vowel: This vowel is mostly [a] or [æ].
  • The Cloth Vowel: It is mostly [ɔ].
  • The Nurse Vowel: It varies among [ə], [ɜ] and [ɜi].
  • The Goose vowel: It's mostly [ʉː].
  • The Price/Prize Dithphong: It's generally [ɑɪ].
  • The Choice Diphthong: It's [oɪ] or [ɑɪ].
  • The Mouth Diphthong: It varies among [ao], [aɵ] [aɛ] and [ɑə].
  • The happY vowel: It is pretty much the kit vowel: [ɪ].
  • The lettEr-horsEs-commA vowel is [ə].
  • The Bahamian accent is non-rhotic.
  • There's poor distinction between the [v] and [w] sounds in Bahamian English. The contrast is often neutralized or merged into [v], [b] or [β], so village sounds like [wɪlɪdʒ], [vɪlɪdʒ] or [βɪlɪdʒ]. This also happens in the Vincentian, Bermudian and other Caribbean Englishes.
  • Dental fricatives are usually changed to alveolar plosives:

Voiced: -"That" turning into "Dat". -"Those" turning into "Dose". -"There" turning into "Dere". -"They" turning into "Dey".

Unvoiced: -"Thanks" becoming "Tanks". -"Throw" becoming "Trow".

List of Bahamian English Words [edit]

This is a list of some of the most common Bahamian English words and their meanings:

  • Cutter - An individual that is willing to have meaningless sex with anyone - "I'm going to the club to get me a cutter."
  • Bey- a synonym for "boy", or a synonym for "hey" when being used to get someone's attention. Can also be used to put emphasis on something, or just put at the end of a sentence. "Dat was a good movie bey"
  • Yinna- a plural for "you".
  • Y'all- "You all" shortened. Also a synonym for "you".
  • Chall- Bahamian pronunciation of the English word child.
  • Ain'-I am not " I ain know what she talking about
  • Biggety- bold, loud, outspoken: "She biggety aye."
  • Mussey- must be: "She mussey catching feelings."
  • Piss- angry: "He is piss me off bey"
  • Catching feelings- getting emotional: Bey what you catchin' feeling for dawg
  • Dawg- dude, bey- Bey why you accusin' me dawg
  • Nomanners- to be disrespectfull: "Das a nomanners gal."
  • Cackalin'- a sharp laugh or out burst
  • Gern- A synonym for "going": "Gern down Burma Road."
  • Gimme- "Give me":"Gimme some a dat."
  • Kapoonkalup- Refers to being drunk and uncomfortable: "All Kapponkalup again!"
  • Confuddleup- confused
  • Boongie- The buttocks of a person.
  • Frousy- Refers to a stench. "Chall u frousy!"
  • Nanny- Refers to stool.
  • Wybe- Refers to a conflict or situation. Also refers to one's significant other.
  • Ole' Lady- term of endearment for mother.
  • Ole' Man- term of endearment for father.
  • Aww Flip- Used as an expression of excitement, can be positive, negative or neutral: "Aww flip, it start!"
  • Ya Ma- Refers to someone's mother. "Das ya ma bey"
  • Doggy- A male's genitalia
  • Cunny- A female's genitalia
  • Crabby- A female's genitalia
  • Dig Out- refer's to a crabby/ cunny that has been overused.
  • Look Here- Come here.
  • Come From Round' Here- Please leave me alone, now.[citation needed]
  • Cyah ya ass- I'm fine with you leaving
  • Run out- Over exaggerate/hyperbole
  • Ine- I'm not
  • How it go?- What's up?
  • Muddoe- A term used when baffled
  • Truin pon di wybe stil- used to let the speaker know you understand what they have said
  • Run ya mouth- talk
  • Luk hea- pay attention
  • D-I- you

"Truin pon di wibe stil" is said to cut someone off "run ya mouth" means to say what you want to say totter: someone who is carry additional food from someone else's house

totter: someone who is carry additional food from someone else's house

References [edit]

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