St. Thomas

Cradle of freedom in the quiet east

Now wi reach St. Thomas, di quiet parish inna di east weh carry some a di deepest history inna Jamaica. A ya-so Paul Bogle march fi justice inna 1865 (the Morant Bay Rebellion), an a ya-so di Kumina drum dem still a beat from di time a wi African ancestors. Di parish likkle, but i talawa (small but mighty).

Lessons in this parish

8. Negation — Deny, refuse and forbid with no/nuh, naa, neva, cyaan — and embrace the double negative.
9. Questions & intonation — Ask everything with flat word order and rising melody; command the tags noh, nuh true, seen — and the mighty No mus?
10. Commands & politeness — Give commands with bare verbs, invite with mek wi, soften with beg yu and tags, and honour elders with proper titles.

Culture from St. Thomas

Paul Bogle an di Morant Bay Rebellion — National heroes
Kumina: Di Drum weh Memba Africa — Faith
Stony Gut an di Two Hero dem — History

Every Patois word taught in St. Thomas →

Proverbs taught in St. Thomas

Jamaican proverbs travel; most of these are said all over the island. The parish is where the course teaches it, not a claim about where it started.

Who cyaan hear mus feel.Those who won't listen to warning learn the hard way.

Cuss-cuss neva bore hole inna yu skin.Hard words can't wound you the way a blow can — let them pass.

Time longer dan rope.Be patient — time outlasts everything and settles every score.

Start St. Thomas in the app →