Speaking Trini: Trinbagonians have their own language, one of the most fascinating languages on earth. Trini is not "slang" or a "dialect" or "broken English", those are Eurocentric terms used to put down the languages created by non-Europeans. (Using the same logic and definitions, what is called "English" is really a "dialect" composed of broken Latin, Greek, French, Angle, Saxon and German).
There are dozen's of "English" languages; each "proper" in it's own right. Which "English" language is "proper" should depend on when and where you were born and to whom you are speaking. The Queen's "English", Cockney "English", Belfast "English", Brooklyn "English", Shakespearian "English", Ebonic "English", Mississippi "English", Australian "English" and Trini "English", to name a few, all have distinct vocabulary and syntax).
The base of Trini is English, with words, phrases and syntax borrowed
unchanged from African, East Indian, Amerindian, French, Spanish,
Portuguese, Arabic and other languages. Trinidad was a Spanish
colony until taken by the French and then the British 200 years
ago. Many Spanish place names have been Africanized: Diego Martin
= Dego Martin, La Brea = La Brey, Sangre Grande = Sandy Grandy,
San Juan = Sawa.
Our guide will follow this format: Pronunciation (Spelling, if different) Definition
Ahse
Trini pronunciation (Ass) See Bam Bam
Air
Trini pronunciation Ear
Bacchanal
Wild party / Scandal / Argument / Confusion
Back Back
A suggestive dance performed with the male dancer's front rubbing
against the female's rear, and vice versa
Baa-John
(Bad John) A dangerous man, a gangster, someone with a reputation
for hurting people
Band*
A group of Carnival masqueraders with costumes designed on a related
theme. A band can have 4,000 people divided into 25 sections,
each with it's own theme and several music trucks. Each band has
a huge King and Queen costume. Carnival Tuesday will see about
20 large bands go across the stage in competition.
Bam bam
Also Boom-boom, boomsie, bamsie, bam-a-lam, background, backside,
behind, ass, bottom / butt
Bazodee
Confused
Bawlin'
(Bawling) To cry, yell or howl
BeeWee
(BWIA) British West Indian Airways, the national airline of Trinidad
Bol' Face
(Bold Face) Pushy, loud and wrong, demanding, The foundation of
Trini culture and national personality
Boof
To insult, yell at or argue with someone
Bun
Trini pronunciation Burn
Buss Up Shut See Roti, Shredded roti skin, resembling a "bust
up shirt"
Cahneevaal (Carnival) "Farewell to the Flesh" A pre-Lenten
festival started by Catholics to get in one last party before
giving up wine, women and song for 40 days during Lent. Preparations
and partying in Trinidad start in January and build up to Jouvay
(Monday) and Mardi Gras (Tuesday) ending at midnite just before
Ash Wednesday in mid-February. Costume bands in street Carnival,
steelband competitions, Calypso contests, parties, dances and
Kiddie Carnival all come together for Carnival. Rio and New Orleans
carnivals are bigger and better known, Trinidad's is best.
Callaloo
Thick soup made of dasheen leaves, okra, coconut milk, crab and
seasonings.
Coonoomoonoo (Cunumunu) Idiot, stupid person
Crapo
(Crapaud) Frog The most detested reptile on the island. Often
poisonous, they are hated worse than snakes.
Cyaa
One of the most interesting Trini pronunciations: Can't
Dat
Trini pronunciation That
Day*
(Dey) Trini pronunciation of They and There. "Ah hyar dey
living dong by dey so." (I hear they're living down there).
You may have heard the old Calypso; "Hush your mouth, go
away, Mama look a Boo Boo dey!" (there)
Dimarsh Gra (Dimarche Gras) The major show on Carnival Sunday
night. Eight King and eight Queen of the bands costumes (some
30 feet tall) compete on stage at Queen's Park Savannah to be
named King and Queen of Carnival. The eight top singers compete
to be crowned the Calypso Monarch.
Dough*
(Doh) Trini pronunciation Don't "Oh no, do do dahlin', doh
do dat to me!"
Dong
Trini pronunciation Down
Doo doo*
(Doux doux) Sweetheart often used with darling, as in "do
do dahlin'"
Doogla
(Dougla) A person of mixed race, usually a mixture of African
and East Indian.
Doughtish
(Dotish) Stupid, probably from the English doltish
Eh Eh
An exclamation of surprise or indignation, often said with much
emphasis for effect.
Fet
(Fete) Party
Flim
(Film) Movie as in "Meh fav'rite flim star Clint Eastwood;
he a ral badjohn in trut, y'know!"
Fresh Water Yankee A Trini who goes to America and comes back acting
and talking Yankee (Originally someone acting Yankee without even
going overseas, or crossing salt water).
Good Night An evening greeting, used when first meeting someone
or entering a home at night.
Gyul
Trini pronunciation Girl
Hair*
Trini pronunciation Here or hear
Hair she
(Hear she) Also Hair he I'm quoting her (him) as in "I ask
she 'But why you late?' Hair she, 'You is meh mudder?' "
Hambug
To pester or bother someone
Horn*
To cheat on your spouse or lover, as in "She horning him
like reindeer!"
Hornerman
a guy who makes love to someone's wife
Huggish
Rude, crude, mean; the behavior of a thug, gangster
Hut*
Trini pronunciation Hurt
In Trut
(In truth) For real, no lie
Jab Jab
A type of Carnival devil costume; jabs people with his fork and
demands money from passersby.
Jagabat
Slut, loose woman, prostitute. also Wajang (wah-jang) or Wabean
(wah-bean)
Joo-vay
(Jouvay, or Jour Ouvert) "Opening of Day" in French,
Carnival Mas beginning before dawn on Carnival Monday wearing
costumes of mud, old clothes (Ole Mas), devil costumes or satirical
themes.
Las' Lap
(Last Lap) Last minute street partying on Carnival Tuesday which
goes until midnite when Ash Wednesday begins. The very last of
Carnival.
Lef
Trini pronunciation Left
Leave
Trini syntax Left "Me eh see she again, she leave de fete
long time!"
Lime*,
limin' Hanging out, loafing
Mah-ko
(Maco) Nosy person, busybody, gossip
Mah-kocious (Macocious) A person who is nosy, a maco
Make Style Show off as in "Eh-eh, but I find she only makin'
style on people!"
Mama Man
Male homosexual
Mama Poule A weakling, someone who can be taken advantage of
Mamaguy
To fast talk or sweet talk someone; to try to fool someone.
Maracas Bay The most beautiful beach in Trinidad, high waves,
great scenery.
Mass*
(Mas) Carnival costumes, or playing mas, street revelry in carnival
costume.
Meh
(My) "Gi' me de ting when you come to meh house, pahtnah."
Moco Jumbie Stilt dancers, an African tradition carried over to
Trini carnival Their costumes represent jumbies, or spirits, of
African mythology, in Haiti the word jumbie was corrupted to zombie
Mod
Trini pronunciation (Mad) Crazy, insane
Mo-Vay-Lang French for "Bad tongue" (Mauvais Langue)
To bad talk someone, or engage in nasty gossip
Mud Band
A Jour Overt mas where band members cover their bodies in mud
from head to toe
Pan*
Steel band, invented in Trinidad in the 1930's, melodic percussion
instruments made out of oil drums. One hundred piece steel orchestras
compete playing classical, soca, pop during Carnival.
Pahtnah
(Partner) Trini for "homeboy" used by older Trini males
Piarco
The international airport in Trinidad.
Port of Spain Capitol city of Trinidad and Tobago, located in northwest
Trinidad.
Racialism
Racism
Raise
A gift of cash to a friend or relative
Ral Trini
pronunciation Real
Road March Kind of Trinidad's song of the year, or best song
of Carnival. As the costume bands cross the stage in the Queen's
Park Savannah, the song that most bands dance to is declared Road
March for the year, and wins a large cash prize.
Roti
East Indian dish made with flat baked dough resembling a tortilla
filled with curried beef, chicken, goat, shrimp or other meat
with potatoes, onions, tomato and spices.
Rude*
"Nasty", sexually explicit
Schupid
Trini pronunciation (Chupid) Stupid also Schupidness
Schupidee
(Chupidee) Stupid person
Soca
Soul-Calypso, the modern version of calypso music. Hardcore political
satire, scandals, sexual double entendre and comedy, wrapped up
in dance music with an African beat and heavy baseline.
Sucuyant
A Trini vampire that sheds it's human skin and flies at night
as a ball of fire, sucking the blood of it's victims while they
sleep.
Tantie
(Tante) Aunt
Tent*
A calypso or soca concert featuring 20 singers and comedians.
Started in the 1800's in large military tents, now held in concert
halls or stadiums.
Teef
Trini pronunciation Thief
Tick Trini
pronunciation (Thick) Overweight as in "He not ral fat, he
slim-tick!"
Titty-vay
(Titivate) To waste time or stir up trouble
TNT*
Trinidad and Tobago, twin island nation six miles off the coast
of Venezuela, South America
Too-bay-go Trini pronunciation (Tobago)
Tot Tots
Female breasts
Toh-ty
(Toti) Also ToTo Male genitalia
Tree-nee
Trini pronunciation (Trini) anything or anyone Trinidadian
Tree-nee-daad Trini pronunciation (Trinidad)
Trinbago
Short for Trinidad and Tobago
True
Trini pronunciation (Through). A common query from a sales clerk
is "Are you getting true?", meaning, "Are you getting
through" (finding what you want).
T.T. Trinidad
currency, as in "Does this cost $5.00 T.T. or $5.00 U.S.?"
Too-nee
(tuni) Female genitalia, also poom-poom, tun tun, powder puff,
scizzors and nanny
Vex
English "vexed" Angry
Wais
Trini pronunciation (Waist) The ability to wine "De gyul
only trowin ral good wais!"
Wee
From the French (Oui) Yes, as in "Eh eh, dat is ral good
buss up shut, oui?"
Whole*
All, as in "We been limin' whole day!"
Wine*,
Winin' A sexually suggestive dance using winding hip movements
that can make the hula look tame, usually done to soca music.
Yang-Key
Trini pronunciation (Yankee) An American
* English word with Trini meaning
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