Patois Dictionary

Discover Rasta words, expressions, and slang.

What is Jamaican Patois?

Jamaican Patois (or Creole) is a combination of an English based Creole language and West African based languages. Jamaican Creole came into existence as a medium for the slaves and their masters to communicate. The dialect was developed during the seventeenth century to facilitate the ‘seasoning method’, which was the process by which slaves were forced to discard their cultural identity including their mother tongue hence, Jamaican Patois was developed as the main form of communication on the slave plantation. Jamaican Patois is unique to the Island of Jamaica. However, it is spoken in the Jamaican Diaspora as well which include Miami, New York, Nottingham Birmingham and London.



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