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Multicultural families

Here's where to share your experience of raising a child or growing up in a multicultural family.

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Original poster

Understanding Jamaican Patois

6 replies

speedymama · 29/04/2007 08:08

My parents are from Jamaica and I have been with my English DH for 12 years. Even after all this time, DH still has trouble understanding my DM. She has been in the UK for 47 years and even though she still has her accent, it is not as broad as it use to be. She also does speak more slowly for him but he still struggles with her diction and enunciation.

DH spoke to her on the telephone yesterday and all I could hear was "pardon", "sorry can you say that again" etc. Before DH gave the phone to me he said to her "sorry but I did try". She laughs about it but I do feel a bit embarrassed for DH.

She lives in Birmingham and we are in the SouthEast so unfortunately, he does not see her enough to get use to the accent. When I took him to Jamaica a few years ago to meet my family, he struggled to understand everything that was said even though they did speak more slowly for him. However, when they were in full flow, it was beyond him.
Does anybody else have this problem?

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jampot · 29/04/2007 08:15

ah its probably the brummy accemnt

jampot · 29/04/2007 08:16

my family are irish and i struggle to unmderstand my uncle at times

btw Im from brum too

Original poster

speedymama · 29/04/2007 08:21

My older DB was born in Jamaica did not come to Britain until he was nearly 20yo. He is 45yo now and his accent is so mixed up with the Brummy accent it sounds, er, perculiar.

OP posts:

jampot · 29/04/2007 08:24

My FIL was born and brought up in India, lived in Derby and then birmingham for the last 45 years. He sounds oddly Welsh

I suggest email between your family and your dh

curlysmum · 29/04/2007 22:22

my dd fathers family are all Jamaican and I don't have this problem at all but then I do live in an area of London with a big Jamaican population, so am fairly used to it anyway for day to day. I think it may be the mix of Brummy

MadeForIt · 01/05/2007 11:39

hiya speedymama, my dad is ja'can and DP too! I think the more you hear it, the more your ear tunes in! Can't you get him some dancehall to listen to? With a bit of effort, he will soon be able to decipher the patterns! My english side of the family still have problems understanding DP sometimes. He finds if he puts "mate" on the end of his sentence, they pick it up a bit easier! Mind you, I don't suppose you're mum would want to be calling people "mate!"

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