Сент-Китс және Невис диалектісі: Тарихы мен ерекшеліктері

Spoken language in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts Creole is a dialect of Leeward Caribbean Creole English spoken in Saint Kitts and Nevis by around 40,000 people. Saint Kitts Creole does not have the status of an official language. Saint Kitts Creole has much the same history as other English Caribbean creoles. Its origin lies in 17th century enslaved West Africans, who, when brought to the islands to work on sugar plantations, were forced to learn British English quickly because their labour required it. Their English was mixed with West African words and, in some cases, West African language structure. The French, who occupied the island from 1625 to 1713, had only a small impact on the creole spoken today, unlike in the formerly French islands of Dominica and Saint Lucia, which speak a French based rather than English based creole. Saint Kitts Creole today is spoken on the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis (although Nevisians refer to the language as "Nevisian" or "Nevis creole"), mainly in rural areas, and is spoken especially heavily in Capesterre, i. e. the east coast of St. Kitts (Christ Church Nichola Town, Cayon), and Nevis. Today's use of the creole involves a higher proportion of Standard English, possibly due to access to foreign media. Usually, only residents in rural areas are strong creole users, although mesolectal forms of the language are employed by the majority of the population. They may sound Jamaican, but the Jamaican patois has no influence on the Saint Kitts and Nevis accent. Saint Kitts pronunciation is similar to the pronunciation on the neighbouring islands of Antigua and Montserrat, but with slight differences that are mostly noticeable only to residents of the Leeward Islands.

Saint Kitts Creole is pronounced similarly to the creoles of neighbouring islands, namely Antigua and Montserrat. Usually only longtime residents in the islands can mark the slight differences. In rural areas and in Nevis, /aʊ/ (as in "house") is usually pronounced (as in "hose").

Ahwee/Awe a go dung by e fiel by d house go pik nuts. We are going down to the field by the house to pick peanuts. Is dey dem pikni does wash dem skin. There is where the children bathe (their skin). You know who e tis u a play wit. You do not know with whom you are messing.

Sorry fuh mawgah dawg, mawgah dawg tun roun bite yuh If you extend your charity to undeserving persons, they will be ungrateful/you will regret it. Pig bin arkse e mammee wah mek e mouth so long, e mammee tell um wait for you time When you are older you will understand. Two man crab cyarn live in de the same hole you can't have two persons in charge in a small environment. Monkey know wah limb to climb pon People know who they can trouble/mess with.