http://www.raceandhistory.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/1638

It's good for us to know bits of our family history. Makes the bigger picture a little clearer.

The good, bad and hawful. I could never understand why I was expected to choose some among my billions of ancestors and glorify their tribe and world view as unique and to be accepted whole to the exclusion of the rest.

Best, turey, an Afrocelticasiasemitic dreamer.

I read a book a while back "Testimony of an Irish Slave Girl" (I hope I got the exact tiltle correct). I can not recall who wrote it.

I belive it was fictional about a child who was abducted in Ireland and sold into to slavery in Barbados. It was an interesting book. There was parts about slaves from African countries (she married an african slave) and slave uprisings in various Carribean islands woven into to her story.

Thanks for the article turey. It's a real eye opener.

Just wanted to add...
My brother's neighbors were from Dublin and they share a driveway, long story short - I hear someone ask "Can sombody move di cyaar" Spoken like a true yaadie.

The neighbor said that how they pronounce it in Ireland. I wonder how many other words in patois have Irish roots.

Nurse R, yes that's correct that was written by Kate McCafferty.

Interesting article. Thanks for posting the link.

You're welcome Downderoad.

Many people think I am Irish or Welsh when they hear my accent. When speaking English not Patwa.

When I first moved to Jamaica from the US in the 90's and had trouble understanding patois, a friend suggested that I listen as though I were hearing an Irish brogue. The dialects have a similar sing-song quality. Sure enough, after that it all made sense and I understood nearly everything I heard.

To a shot of Blarney, add a dash of Taino, Spanish, Ladino, Arabic and French.

Add to a blend of Ashanti, Mandingo, Bakongo, Ibo, Fanti etc.

Shake, never stir.

Serve with a slice of Gaelic and a touch of bitters (just so we don't forget).

The toast is always in the best English.