patois

Everyday

1. A patois is a form of a language spoken by ordinary people in a particular area, different from the standard language. tree →
2. (Jamaica, UK) Patois (often spelled «Patwa») is the everyday language of Jamaica, based on English with West African influences, also heard among many Black British and Caribbean people. tree →
3. A patois can also be the special talk or jargon of a group. tree →

In the lessons

In language lessons, patois shows that languages have many local forms; Jamaican Patois words like «wah gwaan» (what's going on) are heard in UK slang. It is a full way of speaking with its own rules, not «bad English». In stories, a character speaking patois shows where they are from. Common phrases: «Jamaican Patois», «speak patois», «local patois».

Examples

• Grandma speaks Jamaican Patois with her sisters. tree →
• «Wah gwaan» is a greeting in Jamaican Patois. tree →
• The villagers spoke a patois the visitors could not understand. tree →
• Many words in London slang come from Patois. tree →
• The poem was written in Caribbean patois. tree →
• Every trade has its own patois of special words. tree →

Note

Say PAT-wah (the s is silent). The plural is also spelled «patois» but said PAT-wahz. It comes from French. Respect: a patois is a real way of speaking, not broken or wrong language.