What language do the jamaicans speak?

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Roshaad

Jamaicans speak a more than just english, and they have a lot of accents.
Jamaicans speak Patois and I'm sure no one has heard of Kromanti, rastafrians have their own variation of jamaican english. And Ive only lived in Surrey, but the country people, the kingstonians, and the intellecuals like students from prestigious high schools etc speak a very pure form of English way purer than American or even British with all their accents.

Jalon H

we speak english and jamaican creole(patois)

Tanya

English, we do also speak patois however that is not yet classified as a language.

spice_fuel68

Maybe half of Jamaica is Bilingual.

i am. i speak both Standard Jamaican English (basically same as the British) and the Jamaican Creole.

Jamaican creole is NOT ENGLISH, nor is it BROKEN ENGLISH!! it is a different language! it has it's own patterns of grammar, phonics etc separate and apart from english. HOWEVER it is an "english" CREOLE meaning the contributing language is majorly English. this is because Britain was the last Colonizer in my country. we have elements of "Twi" (from west Africa) and "Spanish" in our Creole.

our creole is more pure (Basilectal) in some parts of Jamaica (places for example St. Elizabeth and Trelawney), and more mixed (Mesolectal) with English in other parts (for example Kingston and St. Andrew).

ACCENTS vary from place to place and this accent will affect BOTH languages, both English and Creole.

If you are speaking to someone and they realise you are an english speaker, Jamaicans will Code Switch, or try to, to the Standard English as best they can (lol. this is what we call "Twanging") so tha you will understand what they are saying.
(most jamaicans can speak comprehensive english so donot worry about miscommunication)

do not try to understand creole, it is rather simple and we use many english word bout our pronounciation is so different u will be lost.

for example "Tek Care".. if you heard it would think "Teh Kiyare" "Tekiare" or "Teki Air" lol.. its actually "Take Care". lol

Good Luck.. n Tek Care :D

Dee

JAMAICANS speak ENGLISH but we also have a dialect that is called PATOIS

Millie

Their very own version of English,....just kidding! Their accent is what makes it sound different, but it's English.

serena f

patois or patwa

Vicsta

They speak 'patois' which is kinda 'broken English' (for want of a better phrase!).

Highly Favoured

They speak English but also as the rest said a type of Patois. They usually drop off the 'h' so if they ate saying 'him' it will sound like 'im'. They might have to speak slowly if they are speaking to you so that you can understand.

flavor&funx

i've been there; they speak english with just a caribbean accent. no tribe language haha

terrace

the jamaican official language is English...but you will never understand it

SMiLE :)

English/Creole ....

CURiOUS .

Creole AKA patois.

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