Jamaica talk: Three hundred years of the English language in Jamaica (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"How did Jamaicans come to talk as they do? The musical lilt and staccato rhythms, the mingling of strange words, the vowel sounds that go sliding off into diphthongs, the cheerful defiance of many niceties of traditional English grammar, the salty idioms, the wonderfully compressed proverbs, the pungent imagery of nicknames and epithets in the bestowal of which these islanders appear to be peculiarly adept - where do all these hail from and how did they come to be?" - Frederic G. Cassidy, Jamaica Talk --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

First published in 1961, Jamaica Talk is a thorough study of the English spoken in Jamaica and, although intended for the general educated reader rather than the linguistic specialist, has a foundation of sound scholarship, which makes it an authoritative classic. The late Professor Cassidy was born and reared in Jamaica and collected most of the material for his book when he was attached to the University College of the West Indies as Fulbright research fellow. There are chapters on the composition of "Jamaica talk", on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. The book is an invaluable reference in all institutions that have language departments, and as a handbook for Jamaicans and for interested visitors to the island. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 468 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan Education (1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0333136934
• ISBN-13: 978-0333136935
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,084,968 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Linguists and the Uninitiated, October 26, 2002

By	Joseph T. Farquharson (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Cassidy's book on Jamaican Creole, continues to be a source of valuable information for those persons interested in the roots of this Creole Language. It is wtitten so that not only linguists but even persons without a solid linguistics background can read, understand and appreciate the value of the language. I would recommend it as a must read for all those persons who continue to hold the view that JC is haphazard and structureless, and definitely for those who have a genuine interest in the Creole, whether for academic reasons, national, or just plain old information.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For My Information, May 12, 2002

By	roxann grizzle (Silverthorne, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

I thought the book was very interesting. It allow me to not only embraced Patois as a uniquelly cultural language, it also allowed me to feel the spirit and cultural diginity of Jamaican people. I've learned that this historical language cannot be and should not be described as a "broken-language" but a "nation-language" that brings me closer to my ancestors as an African-American woman. Reading this languages' origins helped me see more clearly the bonds the tie many of us to the same people as well as the same land. "OUT OF MANY, ONE PEOPLE" my life has been forever changed. Thank you.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great service!, September 11, 2009

By	Geo geek (Ypsilanti, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jamaica Talk: Three Hundred Years of the English Language in Jamaica (Paperback)

The book was offered at an attractive price, it arrived quickly, and was in great condition! I could not ask for more out of this experience.