Shakira - La La La (Brazil 2014) ft. Carlinhos Brown

When I speak most people tend to ask me where I am from and what language I speak. A typical Trinbagonian speaks fast and in a sing song manner. We use so many different words and phrases in our natural tounge, which has been influenced by our spanish and english colony days mixed in with hindi and french and chinese words from other settlers to the twin island. So if you are planing a visit to Trinidad and  Tobago i recommend you take a look here first and learn some words so you can blend in!

AA! - usually an exclaimation of surprise or wonder 

Bacchanal - party atmosphere; arguments, confusion e.g. "If dey find out, it will be rel bacchanal."

Back chat - a rude response e.g. "Doh give meh no back chat now, yuh hear!"

Bad john (said as one word badjon) - a bully; a person who thinks they're really "bad"

Bathing suit - swim suit 

Band (Carnival) - a Carnival band refers to a group of masqueraders who are wearing the same costumes, or costumes based on the same theme.

Biscuit - cookie, cracker

Bobolee - a person who gets taken advantage of

Bobolize - to bully someone

Boof / buff - to scold

Buss - to burst; to be a flop e.g. "Nah boy, dat party  buss."

Buss it - to leave e.g. "Well when I see dat, I buss it!"

Chips - French Fries e.g. "May I have some chips, please?"

Chutney - a type of music indigenous to Trinidad, which evolved from Indian music

Commesse - confusion, conflict

Cunumunu - a foolish person 

Dingolay - to dance in a joyful, carefree manner

Dotish - silly, stupid e.g "Don't act dotish nah!"

Doux-doux - sweetie, sweetheart e.g. "Don't mind dat, doux-doux."

Dred - friend (see also hoss, padna); cool e.g. "Dat movie was dred, eh dred?"

Fella - a fellow, a boy, a guy e.g. "Way! Check dat fella!"

Fete - party 

Fuh real? - really? Is that so?

Gyul - girl

Horn - to cheat on a boyfriend of girlfriend 

Hoss - a close friend

In truth - for real, that's right e.g. "That test was so hard!" Reply: "In truth!"

Lagniappe - a little extra, a bonus 

Lime - to hang out in a casual atmosphere e.g. "hear nah leh we go an buss  ah lime.

Maco - someone who minds other people's business! e.g. "Wha yuh macoing so for?"

Make style - to show off

Mamaguy - to make fun of, to fool

Mas - used to refer to Carnival; to play mas - to masquerade

Obeah - black magic, voodoo

Obzokee - fat, unpleasant, out of place

Ole talk - chit-chat, light-hearted chatter 

One time - to do something right now, immediately

Padna - (from "partner") a close friend, buddy

Parang - music played during Christmas time. Parang has a lot of Spanish influences.

Patois - local dialect

Picker - thorns e.g. "Doh touch dat rose bush. It have rel pickers."

Picong - to insult in a jesting manner

Poke ah poke - meaning so so

Pong - pound (weight) as well as a fist bump

Pot hound / pot hong - a mixed breed dog (or worthless person)

Saga boy / star boy - a male who likes to "make style"; a male who is cool

Screw face - to make a strange expression, usually when angry or in disagreement Soca - a type of music indigenous to TnT, derived from "calypso" it is usually faster in pace and beat.

Soucouyant - derived from caribbean folk lore, an old woman who turns herself into a ball of fire and suck's people's blood 

Sweet drink - term used for soft drink, soda, pop

Tabanca - the feeling of hurt and pain when a close relationship ends e.g. "Leave him alone hoss, he gyul leave him. He have rel tabanca."

Tantie - auntie

Toutoulbay - use

Vex - angry, upset

Whas de scene? - a way of asking whats up. or whats going on.

Wine - to gyrate, to rotate hips in a suggestive manner 

 These are some of the abused and bad ones lol:

Awa - literally means "or what", but its usage is to make Trinidadian slang flow better. For example, "yuh wastin' muh time, awa?" , literally meaning "are you wasting my time?"

Baddist - an extremely promiscuous female. in recent times, it has been used for men as well, but in a less serious sense

Chook - to pierce (or jook), usu. in reference to needles. Can also refer to dancing which involves the thrusting of one's hips forward sharply into the rear of another. May also refer to sexual intercourse. E.g. Riad took a little chook from the girl.

Flickin - used to emphasise other words (for example - "gih mih de flickin ting nah!" ["give me the damn thing please"]) when one is irritated. It is used in a more vulgar sense, though is more acceptable than direct foul language. Similar words are blinkin, blasted, friggin and stinkin.

Dingolay - dance wildly or to dance  without a care in the world.

Jock - to masturbate, especially male masturbation (a slang term, but not ordinarily considered derogatory or rude). Contrast with traditional North American defintion of "Jock".

Muddacunt - a vulgar curse word cursing a mother's vagina. (usually used in the phrase "haul yuh muddacunt" or simply "yuh muddacunt", meaning "fuck off" in a somewhat more vulgar fashion. is also used when angrily suprised by a situation and is usually dictated: "but what de muddacunt is dis?" or more simply, "what de muddacunt is dis?", or "what de muddacunt?"

If you want to learn the proper slangs and phrases from Trinidad and Tobago your ideal choose its to purchase  Cote-ce Cote la 

a well written dictionary that details the local dialect in all its beauty!!!! 

I love my caribbean music. Growing up in Trinidad I was exposed to the wonderful sounds of steel Pan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago,

Calypso, Soca, Ragga Soca,

Chutney, Chutney Soca

that plays all year round and Parang and Parang Soca that plays during the christmas season that starts around October.

 If you want to hear all this great music, you can listen to Islandvibezradio.net to hear all the featured sounds of Trinidad and Tobago and all the islands!!

ISLAND VIBEZ RADIO http://www.islandvibezradio.net/#.U3zkPvrXoaw.twitter

BELMONT TIT-BITS....a bit of history.........

So while doing a bit of reading online, searching for great things about where I am from, I came across this lovely jewel of information. I grew up in this area, this melting pot of talent and fascinating characters that walked the streets while I lived there as a child. But these facts, are a bit before my time....

BELMONT TIT-BITS....a bit of history.........

> The first President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was born on Myler 

> St. Belmont. 

> 

> Belmont was the first suburb of Port of Spain. 

> 

> The first six cents pirate taxi to grace the streets of Port of Spain in the 

> mid forties was from Belmont. 

> 

> Belmont has more Churches, more schools and certainly more lanes than any 

> other community in Trinidad and Tobago. On one street alone are three large 

> modern schools, Providence Girls, Belmont Junior Secondary and Belmont 

> Primary within a hundred yards of each other, and two Prep schools almost 

> opposite each other. Then there is Belmont Boys RC and Belmont Intermediate 

> 

> 

> Myler St., legend says, was named after the legendary stick fighter, MEYLER 

> the invincible. 

> 

> Belmont Hill where the Hilton now stands was the site of the first 

> Government House uptown. The 41 acres originally belonged to Spanish 

> settlers and in 1785 was the subject of a lawsuit. When the matter was 

> finally resolved, the Government bought the hill for $1,920.00 

> 

> Belmont was formerly a sugar estate and the city’s first suburb inhabited by 

> freed blacks. There is no evidence of any form of town planning in its 

> layout , as the streets were laid out after the area was settled. Once 

> known as Freetown. 

> 

Belmont, with Queens Park Savannah to the left

> Lady Young Road : Named after the wife of Mayor Sir J. W. Young Governor 

> of Trinidad from 1937 to 1942. During his term of office, sweeping changes 

> were made in the labour movement as a result of the 1937 Riots. 

> 

> Oxford Street: In about 1810, the British were busy renaming the streets of 

> the City, and Oxford was to remind us of that pleasant University town in 

> England. 

> 

> Belmont landmarks include the L’Hospice, built for the aged in 1858 by an 

> Italian bishop following a cholera outbreak, and the Belmont orphanage, now 

> well over 100 years old. 

> 

> Belmont Folklore includes the story of the Belmont Jackass which had gold 

> teeth and walked around Belle Eau Road at night, and there was also the silk 

> cotton tree at the corner of Belmont Circular and Queen’s Park East under 

> which soucouyant limed at night. 

> 

> In 1941 Governor Young tried to beautify the Belmont Hill by landscaping and 

> expressed the hope that the hill would bloom with every flowering tree that 

> is native to Trinidad. 

> 

> Observatory Street: Named after the sugar estate Observatory which bordered 

> the town. The estate itself deriving its name from the fact that it was 

> cited on the hill overlooking the Town. The Spaniards had called it de San 

> Antonio, with their penchant for the Saints. 

> 

> Queens’ Park Savannah: This was formerly Paradise Sugar Estate. Purchased 

> by the Cabildo in 1817 and renamed Queen’s park. The Peschier family who 

> owned the estate reserved their burial rights and this has been preserved to 

> this day. 

> 

> Gloster lodge: The home of Henry Gloster who maintained an estate there. 

> In 1826 he laid the foundation stone of the Hanover Weslyan Church. 

> 

> Jerningham Avenue: Named after Sir H.E. H. Jerningham, Governor of Trinidad 

> from 1897-1900. On January 1st. 1899 Tobago was united with Trinidad as a 

> single colony and he became the joint colony's first Governor. 

> 

> The late Sir Alan Reece, 'Mr. Public Service' was born in Belmont In 1906 

> and served in Public Service for 57 years. 

> 

>

So let's get started!! AA YUH REACH!

So I just came back from a lovely run away to my home, know as the fabulous islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  I was raised on the main island of Trinidad, the larger of this lovely twin island state.

Map of Trinidad and Tobago

I decided that I wanted to share my island with people who really do not know anything about my islands. I wanted people to know about these two historically rich and diverse islands, two dramatically different yet wonderfully connected sister islands. I wanted to tell those of you who read my blog, especially those of you who have never been and are about to embark on a love affair with my rejuvenation station, about all the places to go and things to do on each of these islands. 

Mayaro Beach, Trinidad

                  Serenity bay, Tobago                                  Bucco Reef, Tobago

Maracas Water Falls, Trinidad

                       Lalaja Falls Trinidad

So please come journey with me as I rediscover this wonderful and spectacular twin island country of Trinidad and Tobago.