What language did Jamaicans speak before English?

Jamaican Patois
Native speakers	3.2 million (2000–2001)
Language family	English creole Atlantic Western Jamaican Patois
Dialects	Limonese Creole Bocas del Toro Creole Miskito Coast Creole San Andrés–Providencia Creole
Official status

Why is Jamaican English so different?

Slaves were forced to speak English in everyday situations, and because of this, a dialect of broken English came into fruition. This exact situation was mirrored on nearly every other Caribbean island as well, creating an un official dialect of the Caribbean, and Jamaica in general.

Where do Jamaicans get their accent from?

With Jamaica being rich in exposure to other cultures due to the slave trade, Jamaicans learnt and adapted the accents of plantation owners and overseers. These ranged from English to Spanish to African and to a few other lesser populated ones. These combinations of accents naturally resulted in a mixture of accents.

Is English the first language in Jamaica?

The official language is English, which is “used in all domains of public life”, including the government, the legal system, the media, and education. However, the primary spoken language is an English-based creole called Jamaican Patois (or Patwa).

Is Jamaican just broken English?

Contrary to popular belief, Jamaican Patois is not “Broken English”. It is actually a combination of English, French, Various West African Languages, Spanish and many others. Jamaican Patois came into existence during slavery when the slaves were denied use of their native tongue and forced to learn English.

Is patois just broken English?

Often these patois are popularly considered “broken English” or slang, but cases such as Jamaican Patois are classified with more correctness as a Creole language; in fact, in the Francophone Caribbean the analogous term for local basilectal languages is créole (see also Jamaican English and Jamaican Creole).

What is the language spoken in Jamaica?

English
Jamaica/Official languages

Although English is the official language of Jamaica, the majority of the population speak Jamaican Patois. This is a creole language (See the lesson on creole on this web site) made up of an English superstrate and African substrate.

What is the official language of Jamaica English?

Jamaican English. English is the official language in Jamaica and the language mostly used in formal contexts. The English spoken in Jamaica has been influenced mainly by British English.

What was the history and culture of Jamaica?

Jamaica History, Language and Culture. History of Jamaica. Before Columbus discovered it in 1494, modern-day Jamaica, then known as Xaymaca, had been peacefully inhabited by the native Arawak Indians for about 2,000 years.

Where did the Jamaican creole language come from?

Jamaican Creole was initially developed in the 1600s when the island was under British colonial control. Linguists say the language originated during the slave trade, when individuals were brought to Jamaica from West and Central Africa to work.

When did the Dictionary of Jamaican English come out?

The Dictionary of Jamaican English (1967, 1980) has contributed to the stabilization of spelling in the press as well as to the readiness with which Creole is used by Jamaican writers. See BAJAN, CARIBBEAN ENGLISH.