Language Lessons for Visitors
![[Cove Bay]](/images/fishboat.jpg)
The Caribbean island of Anguilla
is an English speaking country, but the local
dialect of English can be puzzling for new
visitors.
Here is a short course in the language that was
published in the Anguilla Local News.
- Directions.
- Character.
- Greetings, good manners.
- Food and agriculture.
- Verbs.
- Nouns, pronouns and prepositions.
For a jump start on your studies, buy a copy of
the Dictionary of the Anguillian Language at
the National Book Store in the Social Security Complex.
For example, Tief - Thief. E.g. 'You too tief'--You are
a thief/You like to steal.
Anguillian Language Lesson #1
This starts a series of six lessons
on how to
speak Anguillian. Keep in mind that we live at the
East end of the island, so the language may be a little
different at the West End.
- Above. To the East.
- Below. To the West.
In Anguilla you quickly learn
what above and below mean. If you don't,
you will be totally confused.
When you ask for someone and the
answer in a one-story building is "She in the room above",
look to the East, not Up.
And below means toward the West End.
Another way to remember this is that above is upwind
in sailing.
It is much harder to find out the words for North
and South. Since Anguilla is long and skinny, East and
West are the more important directions. When asked what they
say for "south", an Anguillian replied across,
as in "across to St. Martin." When asked what they
say for "north", the same person replied across. Getting
directions can be difficult when you did not grow up in a place.
Anguillian Language Lesson #2
More tips on speaking Anguillian:
- Scamp. Untrustworthy
- Wicked. Mischevious.
North Americans
usually think of Scamp as indicating
mischevious and playful, while Wicked indicates
serious evil. In Anguillian, the terms are exactly reversed
in meaning. One of the worst things you can call someone is
"a scamp" -- that means they are totally untrustworthy.
However, you respond to a mischevious naughty comment
by saying "You Wicked", which means they are
slightly outrageous and funny.
- Hard. Outspoken, blunt, frank, obnoxious.
- Vexed. Angry.
From the Dictionary of the Anguillian Language:
Disgustin/Disgusting. Does not mean
that the person or circumstance fills one with disgust.
The term is used loosely to denote annoyance or irritation
or to describe a mischevious or troublesome person.
Anguillian Language Lesson #3
Anguillian manners.
- Good morning. Salutation to start each
meeting for politeness. North Americans just blurt out their
business: "I need some stamps." To avoid sounding rude, just
start with "Good morning" and wait for a response. This slows you
down to the Anguillian pace.
- Good night. Means "Good evening", not "beddy bye".
People often answer the phone with "Good night, hello".
- Have a save and pleasant journey. Always said when you are taking a trip.
- Okay. Confirmation that you heard or saw the person. Final
word in an exchange. Can be said to you if you nod to someone as
you drive by. Sometimes "Okay, Okay".
- You alright. Greeting like "How do you do?", reply "alright"
or "okay".
- Title. Last name, such as "Gumbs", not job title.
Anguillans use your "title" or last name unless you are of
the same generation. As one Anguillian explained, "You call
him Mr. Gumbs unless you went to school with him."
If a person has attained a position of authority or respect, they
are often known by their job title, as in Teacher Elmira or
Nurse Richardson, Doctor Hughes.
One more tip: strangers will wave to you as you
drive around Anguilla. It is polite to way back.
From the Dictionary of the Anguillian Language:
Back. - Pertaining to sexual prowess and
virility. E.g. 'Sea moss/fish soup/coconut water good
for man back'.
Anguillian Language Lesson #4
Agricultural terms.
- Ground. Planted fields or gardens.
- Bottom. Field or pasture with soil. There are red bottoms and
black bottoms.
- Bush. Natural vegatation.
- Break bush. Cut greenery for the goats to eat.
- Bush tea. Herb tea.
- Belonghee. Aubergine, eggplant. The small round
variety is delicious.
- Tree. Any plant that is cultivated as opposed to wild,
including the "tomato tree", the "corn tree", and the "pumpkin
tree".
- Pumpkin. Any orange vegetable including various species
of squash.
- Catch. Obtain sample or take a cutting,
as in "catch me some of that tree."
- Whis. A stringy plant that grows around other plants.
-
Stink Weed. A plant that grows all over Anguilla and has a pod that can be
roasted and ground to make "coffee".
From the Dictionary of the Anguillian Language:
Eat - Used as "taste". Or, to pertain to texture.
E.g., "Da pumpkin eat good?"
Anguillian Language Lesson #5
Here are some useful verbs.
- To flit. To spray the bugs.
- Take out. Turn off, as in "take out your lights" when
you left your car lights on.
- Lock off. Turn off, as in "lock off your stove".
- Carry me. Take me in a vehicle.
- Finish. Nothing available anymore, all gone.
- Go to come back. I leave now but I'll be coming back.
- Come. Please come here. Usually said to children.
- Talking to. Romancing.
- Reach. Attain a certain quantity, as in
"I reach fourteen" in answer to "How old are you?"
From the Dictionary of the Anguillian Language:
Share out - To serve, as in 'dishin-out' food.
Anguillian Language Lesson #6
Some nouns, pronouns, and prepostions.
- Gale. Hurricane.
- Bat. Any soft thing with wings that flies at night,
including moths, from tiny to giant, and bats, but not birds or
mosquitos.
- Coal Keel. Kiln for making charcoal, formed by
putting dirt over a pile of wood, with air holes created by
pipes, then lighting it on fire from the top and letting it
burn for a week or two.
- Current. Power, energy, the stuff you buy from Anglec.
- Me/You one alone. "By myself" or "By yourself."
From the Dictionary of the Anguillian Language:
We - Commonly used instead of us.
E.g. 'All a da wuk fuh we?'/Is all of that work for us?
You should now be able to hold your own in
a conversation on Anguilla.
Revised: January 08, 1998