In jamaica, in school do you learn english language, like proper english language?

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Afi

Yes...We learn the queen's English. Everything is taught the same as in England.
Somehow we still manage to have our own way of speaking it.

grgrynoel

did you learn english in school ?

JamaicanGirl

We learn British English in school. All our words are spelt like the British--eg. colour and favourite. They don't teach us to speak in Patois or write in it.

Chef D

Yes you do learn proper English, you're even taught to speak as you write, but you know us Caribbean people we do our own thing.. Most Jamaicans speak as their parents and grand parents, so do most of the Caribbean, we rarely speak the way they taught us in school

munnetteandrea

Yes....Jamaica is an english speaking country. Patois is our dialect and is spoken usually in informal situations. There was and i do believe still is, talk about teaching it (patois) in schools, which personally I think is quite ridulous, is there any Jamaican that cannot speak patois? Why waste time teaching something that cannot be understood internationally?
As Jamaicans it is all around us, and each person puts their individual stamp on it.

maivas229

Jamaicans speak and write standard English.

jwizz5000

are you stupid?
just wondering...

In response to your edit, Jamaica may be closer to America, but it was a British colony for well over 200 years. Naturally, we would speak British English and not the American English. I see you need a lesson in history as well.
As for the "yardies" who speak patois, it is a choice, in the same way you brits speak cockney.

â—„â˜¯â™« vanitee of vanitees â™«â˜¯â–º

Jamaicans are taught in English and English is the first language, patois is just a dialect that we speak sometimes and we often blend it with English.

Maybe they are saying something they don't want you to understand.

boy_jam_arch

The world is built with different Nationality and you will have different axcent don't be a fool use your head, The official Language in Jamaica is English, I have a problem listening to People from England when they speak too, Just be cool with your Self and don't ask stupid question, You should know about Jamaica if you are a British Citizen.

chutneycarnival

I'll answer fairly (I'm a linguist). Yes, all our formal education is in English using the format/spellings of England (as is such in all former/current British colonies).

Patois is the language of the home/streets; can be the language of arts, etc. People reverse the order of their language when speaking English due to level of education.

Speaking proper English - whether or not it's your mother tongue, is learned. So although some will understand proper grammatical context does not necessarily mean that said person knows how to utilize the same grammatical rules.

â™¥Lilcutieâ™¥

yes they teach proper english in school we use the english spelling not american. We talk patois we write it also but don't learn it in school we just pick it up from how people talk usually when your little.

lulu

duh.

djflex2

I guess people feel they can call others stupid cause they're typing on the internet and not face to face- I think it was a valid question- being that she/he who asked is not from Jamaica!!!!! That's the whole purpose of this whole website- to ask and answer questions.... Or maybe that last goofy figured Proper English- or The Queens English is taught in every school in every country where English is taught. Here in America we're not raised/taught proper English eventhough the British founded the New America. Just like I would have never guessed Jamaica gained their independance from England and continue to use their form of English until I heard some of them speak-

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