Trinidad slang (You're a Trini when...)

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   Greetings again from Trinidad.  I don't want to say that the news is slow here, but I just read that JFK was shot.
   There's a HOW TO USE THE F-WORD tourist wall hanging, if anyone is interested.


YOU'RE A TRINI WHEN...
   You refer to an avocado as a "zabora."
   You get "vexed" and not "angry."
   You point with your lips.
   You wash "wares" after a meal.
   You call hanging out "liming."
   You call all hot drinks "tea."
   You say I don't know by raising your shoulders.
   You shorten sentences, like "Whatahsayin'" or "Whahappenin."
   You refer to pop and soda as "sweet drinks."
   You say "Old year's Night" instead of "Newyear's Eve."
   You show disappointment by "steupsing."
   You speak of leaving your hair "open" instead of "loose."
   You reach where you're going at least an hour late.
   You like eating doubles for breakfast.
   You say "twentAY: (20) instead of "twentEE" like the rest of the world.
   You say "boy" to everyone, usually at the beginning of a sentence.
   You call people by saying "pssst."
   You nod your head upwards to greet someone.
   You call any hard candy "sweetie."
   You end a sentence with "man."
   You start gearing down for the weekend by lunchtime on Friday.


   WHO SAY SO?
   IS TRINI SAY SO!  (T-shirt of slang phrases--ed.)
   All skin-teet' eh
   laugh
Basket doh
hold water  (He's dumb--ed.)
   Water more than flour
Take in front before
in front take you
   Every bread have its cheese
Ah see wit' mih own two eyes
   Happy like pappy
Better belly bus' den
good food waste
   Ban yuh belly
Driver, ah go take it here
   Empty bag can't stan' up
Court house clothes
   Licks like fire
   Licks like peas
Crapaud smoke yuh pipe
   Monkey doh see he own tail
Cut eye doh kill
   Rub meh belly--
   ah go scratch yuh back
Goat doh make sheep


   BELLYFULL IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (Food T-shirt--ed.)
Carib; Zaboca; Peewah; Corn Coup; Buljol; Ponche de Creme; Bake & Shark; Conga Pepper; Yam; Seamoss; Hops Bread; Kuchela; Chillibibi; Cassava; Toolum; Coconut Bake; Doubles; Souse; Buss-up-shot; Shadon Beni; Paime; Curry Goat; Khurma; Sweetbread; Pacro Water; Pastelle; Accra; Stew Beef; Crab & Dumplin; Roast Corn; Cancoche; Aloo Pie; Pelau; Callaloo; Oil Down; Roti


FOLKLORE & LEGENDS OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
San Juan: Paria Publishing Company
94 pages, paperback
2001

Pg. 81:  The Bake Shop
   THE STAPLE FOOD of longtime Trinidad and Tobago were fried or baked rolls, called "bakes."  With or without grated coconut, they were the food of the poor and the not so poor.  The women who ran fry shops were gifted with a "sweet hand," and the smell of their delicious bakes drew hungry people to their makeshift bakery.  On an evening or Saturday, their shops became "liming spots" forthe neighbourhood, and many a good calypso was composed on their thresholds.  News was exchanged, letters delivered, notes posted, and occasionally, an impoverished "whiteman" would call atthe back door to buy a couple of bakes for his dinner.


RAMA'S ROTI SHOP  (written on building--ed.)
Buss Up Shut
Dhalpuri
sada roti & vegetables
potato & channa


HOT BAKE & SHARK  (written on food shack by the park--ed.)
Pholowrie
Sahiena
   PIES
--chicken
--beef
--fish
--potato
--channa
   Accra
   Biaganee
   Phoulourie (Yes, two different spellings--ed.)
   Bake & Shark
   Bake & Cheeze  (I've seen "cheese" and "cheeze"--ed.)


(OT:  There are two huge ships in town.  Kidnappers' heaven--ed.)