The English language is a difficult language to learn and to speak. Many of us continue to struggle with this language. Our first language is patois and not English.
Today, I want to highlight some things that we say and do that are unusual.
Many leaders in society keep on using the phrase 'I would have' when it is not appropriate to do so. For example, the police or an educator will say, "I would have told the young man to stop". We are left uncertain about what was said to the young man.
We have picked up the practice from our friends of the north, who will say, for example, July 1st. We should say July 1, or 1st of July. The date is written as July 1, 2025, or 1st of July, 2025.
I heard a doctor pronouncing the word 'violence' /vo' o lence/ on the radio.
Many of us say /Saint An/ for St. Ann rather than /sint an/.
A classic one is to hear people say, "All protocols observed" when they are about to commence their speech.
I keep asking the question, "Which protocol has been observed?"
We all make errors, especially if we are nervous. There was a host who welcomed everyone at the National Heroes Park, including the members of the diplomatic /corps/ I understand that was the first time someone was recognizing the dead in welcoming the gathering.
There is the common one of dropping off our 'hs' at arbour Street and picking them up on Heast Street. We therefore say, "Can I hask you a question?" The Hinglish language is difficult.
Many of you should know by now that my name is spelt Derby, but it is pronounced Darby. Those with the name Derby and it is spelt Darby on their birth certificates, have to live with that one. We have backra massa names that come from Europe. We should use the European spelling.
Those who are unfortunate to have the name Smith end up being called, /simit/
We should all remember that Honourable is pronounced without the 'h'.
Now to the controversial one. Should it be Dr. The Most Honourable Andrew Holness? My opinion is that the country's title should come first. You should not put a degree given by one institution in front of a national title. The PM, therefore, should be addressed as The Most Honourable, Dr. Andrew Holness. Mi no kear wah di experts dem wan' say. Mi a stick wid dat one. Jamaica House, follow me!
This one we are all guilty of. A friend told me that he kept on saying arm...arm..arm while speaking to his teacher. The teacher said to him, "How many arms do you have?"
He replied, "arm...arm...arm...arm.....two, Sir.
The teacher replied, "You have two arms...good." Cut out the others!
Please feel free to add your comments and let me know what you think. You might even think of other strange things that we do and say. Tell us about them.
No badda start aim fire at this article now :) Just come up with your own ideas. I want to see a couple ideas, and when I say couple, mi no mean ongle two!
Subscribe Now!
Remember that Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day without your support. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.
You can view the blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar so you can see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles.
Click on the icon below to see the calendar:
 |
| Click to view the calendar. |
That.arm,arm,arm,aam,aam some speakers tell you about more arms than a whole parish has is very annoying.
ReplyDeleteGovernment officials and other included.
While speaking to avoid the arms take a deep breath everytime you are tempted to arm up yourselves.
Try it that works.
Vernon, here are a set of commonly mispronounced words: heir, heirship, hour and heirloom. In each of these the h is silent, at least in the American pronunciation.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThank you for the reminders Mr Derby and others
DeleteI'm with you on the Honourable Dr.,also you have the madol/magle, and the flimshow oh you have a rachit
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeletePitchure instead of picture
ReplyDeleteMany persons, when writing, do not know when to use there, their or they're. Also, when a speaker says or asks, "you know", I have to stop myself from responding.
ReplyDeleteAnd, "you know", followed by "right".
DeleteSo, Dr the Honorable, right?
No wrong!
Please continue to add your comments. We are learning from these comments.
ReplyDeleteI am totally in agreement with you Vernon. I am tired to correct people with all of the above!
ReplyDeleteWe pronounce desk, /dex/
ReplyDelete