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A survey conducted by Big 7 Travel set out to find the 50 sexiest accents in the world, and according to its results, the Jamaican accent ranked Number 17 among the 50, with the top five sexiest accents determined as, in order, the Kiwi accent of New Zealanders, the South African accent, the Irish accents, the Italian accent, and the Australian accent.

So why do Jamaicans sound the way they do when they speak? Jamaica’s official language is “Patois,” which is pronounced, “pat-wah.” It is derived from the connection Jamaica has with Akan, a country in West Africa and is a mix of the African Creole language and English. While there is a general Caribbean accent, Jamaicans tend to have an accent that is more distinct and is based on the tones, inflections, and mix of the previously mentioned languages. Also, Jamaica had significant exposure to other cultures during the slave trade of the colonial period, and as enslaved people, Jamaicans adapted to the accents and languages heard from owners and overseers on plantations. These included English, Spanish, and African.

Jamaicans usually begin their schooling with preschool at the age of two, and the main language they are taught is English. It is common for children to speak English while at school, and then use Patois at home. The use of the English language in Jamaica is typically reserved for work environments. Patois is viewed as being a more casual and relaxed language than English and is spoken at family gatherings and other social events.

The combination of English, Spanish, and African languages coupled with the intensity and passion of Jamaican speakers results in the Jamaican accent, which is English broken down and combined with these other languages. Different communities in Jamaica have notably different accents, depending on their location on the island. Individuals who live in Kingston have a different accent than those living in Portland.

Simply put, the Jamaican accent arose from the mix of languages spoken by people of the many cultures that met on the island.

Photo – Deposit Photos

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THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES

Top 7 Jamaican & Caribbean News Stories

JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER MAKES FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness formally announced the members who will serve on the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC). The committee will offer expert guidance and oversight to ensure the smooth transition from the nation’s status as a constitutional monarchy to a republic. The committee will be headed by Marlene Malahoo Forte, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, with Ambassador Rocky Meade as co-chair. The committee includes representatives from a diverse range of society members and is designed to guide the process of constitutional reform toward the creation of a new Jamaican constitution. Members of the committee include attorney general, Dr. Derrick McKoy, Ransford Braham, Donna Scott Mottley, Anthony Hylton, Professor Richard Albert, Dr. Lloyd Barnett, Hugh Small, Dr. David Henry, Dr. Nadeen Spence, Lalieta Davis Mattis, Sujae Boswell; and Christopher Harper.

KINGSTON WILL IMPLEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE INSURANCE PLAN PILOT PROJECT
A planned implementation of an infrastructure insurance pilot project in Kingston, Jamaica, is expected to have a significant and positive impact on the city’s ability to address climate change. The pilot project will be implemented by the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) together with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). In the project, the ICLEI will engage insurance providers on options available to Jamaican citizens and the government that will protect infrastructure and other elements from the impacts of climate change. Kingston will also benefit from training, financing, and capacity-building in regard to climate change in a partnership with the German Development Bank.

THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS

PRIME MINISTER OF BARBADOS TO MAKE KEYNOTE SPEECH AT REPARATIONS CONVENTION IN U.S.
Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, is set to deliver the keynote address at the United States Reparations Convention scheduled for late April 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. CARICOM established a Reparations Commission in 2013 to create a moral, ethical, and legal case for the payment of reparations by all governments of former Caribbean colonial powers to the countries and peoples of CARICOM for “Crimes against Humanity of Native Genocide, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and a racialized system of chattel Slavery.” Prime Minister Mottley has been a strong advocate for reparations on the international level for some time. The 2023 staging of the State of the Black World Conference V where she will deliver her speech is “Global Africans Rising: Empowerment, Reparations and Healing.”

THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS

CAMPBELL ENCOURAGES JAMAICANS ABROAD TO LEARN DIASPORA POLICY
Jamaican Senator and State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Leslie Campbell, has urged Jamaicans in the Diaspora to become familiar with the country’s National Diaspora Policy. The White Paper featuring the policy can be found on the website of the Ministry. Campbell made his remarks at the third annual award ceremony for Jamaican Pioneers of Georgia on February 24, 2023. He noted that the policy includes the government’s commitment to developing and ensuring the well being of the Diaspora. The policy will require collaboration among all stakeholders, he said, including ministries, departments, agencies, the private sector, and the Diaspora Community.

THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES WILL EXPAND OPERATIONS IN JAMAICA IN OCTOBER 2023
Southwest Airlines plans to expand flights to Jamaica in October 2023 and begin nonstop flights once a week from Kansas City, Missouri, to Montego Bay. These will be the first flights from Kansas City International Airport and Montego Bay and the only nonstop flights between that city and Jamaica. The expansion of the service to Jamaica follows the launch of Frontier Airlines services from St. Louis, Missouri, to Montego Bay three times a week in February 2023 and Spirit Airlines’ direct flights four times per week between Connecticut and Montego Bay. According to Donovan White, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, the new service provides a welcome addition to flights to the island.

THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

FIRST POETRY AND MUSIC SYMPOSIUM STAGED AT INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA
The inaugural Jamaica Poetry and Music Symposium is scheduled for March 26, 2023, at the Institute of Jamaica. The theme of the free event will be “Taking Ownership and Responsibility-Transforming Lives, Shaping Our Future.” The poet Yasus Afari who is the chief organizer of the symposium said there were challenges but that the event is “coming together.” The event will see creative industry insiders will join to develop working solutions to problems facing the business. These creative industry leaders from around the world will share experiences and elicit feedback from local creatives. Among the attendees will be Winford Williams, Jerome Hamilton, Herbie Miller, Marcus Goffe, Cordel Green, Steppa, Ras Jaja, Dr. Winsome Miller-Rowe, Joy Faircloth, Talia Powers, MC Teddy, GT Taylor, Coleen Douglas, Blakka Ellis, Dr. Olive Senior, and Maxine Stowe.

THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS

JFF’S CHUNG SAYS ORGANIZATION WORKING TO ENSURE PRACTICE MATCH FOR REGGAE GIRLZ IN APRIL
According to Dennis Chung, the general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), his organization is working to provide a practice match for the Reggae Girlz in April to help the team prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia in July-August of 2023. The team’s coach, Lorne Donaldson, stated that missing the international window for such a match would be devastating to World Cup preparations because it would probably be the last chance to fine-tune the team prior to the global tournament’s start date of July 20. Chung acknowledged financial pressures that have restricted options for the JFF, but that he is not “giving up” on the Reggae Girlz despite the need to ensure the federation’s financial sustainability.

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