A Dictionary of Jamaican English (Paperback)

by Frederic Gomes Cassidy (Editor), R. B. Le Page (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The method and plan of this dictionary of Jamaican English are basically the same as those of the "Oxford English Dictionary", but oral sources have been extensively tapped in addition to detailed coverage of literature published in or about Jamaica since 1655. It contains information about the Caribbean and its dialects, and about Creole languages and general linguistic processes. Entries give the pronounciation, part-of-speach and usage of labels, spelling variants, etymologies and dated citations, as well as definitions. Systematic indexing indicates the extent to which the lexis is shared with other Caribbean countries.

Book Description
This is the second edition of the authoritative Dictionary of Jamaican English, first published in 1967. This edition includes a greatly extended supplement and offers a systematic indexing of the extent to which the lexis is shared with other Caribbean countries: Surinam, Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Nicaragua and Belize. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: University of the West Indies Press; 2 Sub edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9766401276
• ISBN-13: 978-9766401276
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #838,005 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Jamaican Patois explained, April 9, 2009

By	Harvee L. - See all my reviews

The book is most useful for linguistic
scholars or for those who know some Jamaican patois or creole and want to refresh their memory of certain words or expressions, or want an idea of the African/British/Spanish
origin of the words and use of the words.

I found it quite detailed, a great resource for those wanting to understand the words used in the everyday Jamaican dialect. Most Jamaicans speak and write standard British English but speak informally, conversationally, in the dialect.

An example: "If God spare" means "God willing."

Also, "Grass bottle" means broken bottle glass, which you have to avoid stepping on if it's strewn on the road or lying in the grass.


The second edition of the dictionary was printed in 1980 and reprinted in paperback in 2002. The second edition does not, however, update the dictionary. It is unchanged from the 1980 edition and may not include some current dialect.