x $ ¢ bd 2 30 - Sundav. Mav 10. 1987 - North Shore News KNOWING LINGO HELPS CARIBBEAN TRIP Learn to speak ‘Jamaican’ VACATIONERS PLANNING a trip to Jamaica will find no Berlitz tapes or travel guides to prepare them for the rich variety of words and expressions that color the English !an- guage on this Caribbean Island. Upon arrival, visitors may find the charming accent and rapid speech a bit difficult to understand (in fact, the Jamaican film The Harder They Come had English subtitles to aid the audience’s comprehension). However, after only a few hours on the Island, it is clearly comprehensible; and, while a conversation between Jamaicans may be a challenge to decipher, they will always slow down and speak clearly for the benefit of tourists. Jamaica’s motto, ‘‘Out of many, one people’’, relates primarily to Jamaica’s varied pop- ulation, yet it also quite accurately describes the Island language: Jamaican Creole. British colonists brought the Queen’s English to By JAMES HOYLAND Contributing Writer Jamaica, and it has been the of- ficial language ever since. But the lilt of the accent results from the influence of Scottish and Welsh settlers -- who managed the plan- tations on behalf of their English owners — while the syntax of Jamaican Creole comes from West African slaves. There remains no trace of the original Arawak Indians in the language except for the name of the Island, called Xaymaca (mean- ing ‘land of wood and water’’). Several of Jamaica’s resorts of- fer lessons in ‘‘patois’’ (as the local dialect is sometimes called), so Don’t be fussy From page 30 I visit Venice, I always stay. at ---- ’, you can be quite sure that the recommendation is a sound one. If you’ve got the name of a hotel in the next city it never hurts to call ahead ~- station-to-station, night rates between two nearby cit- _ ies are quite cheap. Be sure to tell them your arrival time, especially if it will be late afternoon or even- ing. Hotels. are usually co- operative but since you haven't paid a cent they may give your room away to someone flashing money. Do not pay any more than one day in advance for a come-by- chance hotel. If, after one night, you must escape, you may have the devil’s own job of getting a re- fund. One bit of advice I picked up along the way — don’t be too fussy and demand your own private bathroom. The price dif- ference between rooms ‘‘without’’ and rooms ‘‘with’’ can be huge. It was whispered to me that we, as North Americans, would probably be the only occupants of the hotel with any intention of taking a bath. And, if you tip the housemaid, ‘she'll almost always give the tuba good scrubbing and provide a few extra towels. *SCREET CH * 4 CYL - TUNE-UPS| PLUS PARTS Most Imports & Light Trucks - Expires May 31/87 guests can experience a Jamaican vacation with a greater understan- ding of the richness of the culture. In addition, these amusing lan- guage lessons enable visitors to gain a working knowledge of such crucial vacation transactions as ordering a rum punch or buying “flim”? (film) for the camera. Those in the know will also be able to decipher some of the Island's more unique road signs, such as “Caution: Sleeping Policeman.” This warning has nothing to do with a lazy traffic officer ... it simply advises drivers that they are approaching a speed bump in the road! Another curious speech man- nerism that confounds visitors is the Cockney-like insistence on Careers in Travel fm = Wecan open the door to the _ exciting world of travel for YOU @ DAY AND EVENING COURSES g 4 conducted by industry professionals 2 TRAVEL COUNSELLING SALES & MARKETING & RESERVEC COMPUTERS with on-site installations | TRAVEL TRAINING CENTRE 4 | # Ste. 2-1533 Pemberton Ave. 5 North Vance uver 986-2221 Check out these great Continental Pacific Vacations, yo your Neares, “H’s"’ disappearing and reappear- ing with no seeming rhyme or reason. There is; however, a good tule of thumb: where Canadians pronounce an ‘th’? Jamaicans don’t and where Canadians don’t even think there is an “th”, Jamaicans will artfully place one. Thus, ham and eggs becomes a readily vanish mid-word so “through”? becomes ‘‘trew’’. Fail- ing that, ‘th’? usually becomes “a” so “that man’ becomes ‘‘dat | man dere.”’ It is not all that difficult to understand (‘‘d’s- also disappear to become ‘‘unnerstand’’) because Jamaicans love and cherish (and “‘breakfas’’? (Jamaicans also drop “’s" on the end of words) of ‘‘am pronounce) almost every syllable. and heggs.” Thus ‘towel’? for Canadians Not only do ‘‘H’s’’ disappear becomes ‘“‘tow-well’; ‘Coconut’? from the beginning of words, they — becomes ‘‘co-co-nut.”” PRIME TRAVEL of West Vancouver Invites you to a New Zealand Night =: Packing Demonstrations Door Prizes & Refreshments Wadnesday, May 13, 7:30 - 9:00 -~ Salon A, Intemational Plaza FREE ADMISSION FOR FURTHER INFORMATICN, CALL PRIME TRAVEL 1681 MARINE DRIVE, WEST VAN rlipdent Teves 928-1212 You won't Wan ty $1298 (Canadian per person)« Round tripe economy class air fare from Vancouver to Sydney or Melbourne «5 nights accommodation at either: Cambridge Inn, Sydney or The Chateau Hotel, Melbourne or 5 days use of Thrifty Group 1 car with unlimited mileage and CDW insurance Valid April 1-September 30, 1987. $} 13151230. $1230 (Canadian per person) »* Round trip economy class air fare on Continental Airlines from Vancouver to Nadi+5 nights at the Pacific Harbour Resort « Return transfers airport/ hotel/airport 25% pi government tax Valid April 1~ September 30, 1987. iui 1290. 1290 (Canadian per person) « Round trip economy class air fare on Continental Airlines from Vancouver to Aucklande3 nights at the deluxe Regent Hotel, Auckland Arrival transfer in Auckland » New Zealand goods and service tax * Valid May I- September 30, 1987. Ask about our other Hotel choices and longer stay options. For further information and reservations call 1-800-225-4834. or your travel agent. ect ) NTINENTAL Sydney Melbourne Fijis Auckland Honolulu otc be et a en eel ER ee en at aT