Mek we big up Patois

Jamaica is moving closer to making Patois its official language alongside English as it continues to loosen its ties with the British monarchy. Acceptance of Patois has spread worldwide, particularly through the popularity of reggae and dancehall music as well as the brilliance of superstar athletes like Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The proposal was recently floated by Mark Golding, the leader of the opposition People’s National Party (PNP), at the party’s annual conference which is resonating with many. Golding said Jamaica is suffering from “a language problem” adding that “part of the legacy of our colonial past is the belief that the Jamaican language, created by our own people, is somehow unworthy and only to be spoken by those who can’t do better”.

Golding insisted that it “is time to move beyond that negative and backward way of thinking. It is time for Jamaica to formally recognise Jamaican as a language.”

Patois was regarded as a rural, unofficial language until the cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverley began to promote it in her art. It includes words originating from African, European and Asian languages and the intensifying debate around it touches on issues of national identity, class divisions and the legacies of slavery in what was once one of Britain’s most prized colonies.

The timing seems right following a visit by Prince William and Kate Middleton to Jamaica in March 2022 when Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Jamaica wanted to become fully independent. It could happen next year.

For many commentators, Jamaica’s moves to cut ties with the monarchy mean that the time is right for Patois to be properly recognised. Some supporters of Patois say that turning the language into an official tongue will help instil more national pride.

It would also allow Jamaicans to conduct official business in places like courts and tax offices as the most widely spoken language. 

Grace Baston, principal of Campion College, has lobbied for Patois to be a part of the education system, arguing for teachers and students to be trained in the language.

However, for critics, using Patois in schools could put Jamaican students at a disadvantage internationally and make things more difficult in trade, tourism and academic research. “No serious foreign investor wants to communicate with someone in the Jamaican dialect,” said Andrew Tucker, a former Spanish lecturer at Howard University, in a column for the The Jamaica Observer.