I think Tobago is another planet. Not only do the people appear to function without sleep, they also swim like fish, have turned relaxin' into an art form and they have re-invented the English language; more so, dare I say it, than the Americans and Aussies.
The Bude Boy, it would seem, speaks fluent Tobago-ese, and I must admit I haven't always understood his comments. A two week stay was just not enough to master the dialect, although I did study the dictionary on this site.
I remember our first morning in Castara, wandering around in a jet - lagged haze, when we were stopped by a group of European tourists, possibly Germans, who asked the way to the Naturalist Resort.( I always want to say "Naturist", but that's nudists isn't it?) We couldn't help, and I remember saying afterwards,"why don't they ask a local?" I soon realised that they were probably too shy in case they didn't understand !
To their credit, many people we spoke to seemed able to "anglicise" their speech so we hapless foreigners could understand it, but there were several occasions when we and a local would stare blankly at each other, probably thinking the same thing;"I thought these people spoke English?"
It is a strange experience, going to an English speaking country and finding people don't understand you ! Like going to America maybe.....?
My favourite expressions from the dictionary on this site are: "bamsee", what a delightful word-I want an excuse to use it! and " yuh eat parrot bottom", meaning talking too much
I never heard them being used unfortunately. Or maybe I did but didn't understand!I did learn something; a "daddy cane" is a fishing rod made from a large bamboo cane, and "devil" is pronounced " debil",which I learned from Gaston Jackson when he was telling us about a plant that cures headaches."Devil ..something." Sorry I've forgotten. It will come back to me in my sleep I expect.
I also learned "palm it" means to hold something or put your hand on something, learned when I was struggling to get on a boat, and the boatman told me the best place to hang on to.
Not very impressive, but I am only a beginner. So, David, I hope you understand .You don't learn so fast as you get older...
Just realised why I've got a headache, I've not got my reading glasses on..
Au revoir
Carol
