Trinidadian Creole English is a dialect of Creole English which is the general spoken language in Trinidad. It is distinct from Tobagonian Creole English and from other Lesser Antillean English creoles. // A creole language, or just creole, is a well-defined and stable language that originated from a non-trivial combination of two or more languages, typically with many distinctive features that are not inherited from either parent. ... National motto: Together we aspire, together we achieve Official language English Capital Port of Spain President George Maxwell Richards Prime Minister Patrick Manning Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 163rd 5,128 km² Negligible Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 151st 1,262,366 215/km² HDI (2003) 0. ... Tobagonian Creole English is a dialect of Creole English which is the general spoken language in Tobago. ... The Lesser Antilles are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas form the West Indies. ...

Like other Caribbean Creoles, TCE combines syntax of African origin with a primarily English-derived vocabulary. In addition, many expressions reflect the presence of a French Creole (or patois) substratum which was the primary language until the end of the nineteenth century. Spanish and "Hindi" (primarily Bhojpuri) influences are also present in the language. Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe; French: Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Dutch: Cariben or Caraïben, or more commonly Antillen) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hindi (हिन्दी hind), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in North, Central, and Western India, is one of the national languages of India. ... Bhojpuri is the main language spoken in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh. ...

Examples

• Unique to Trinidad
  • bazodee - light-headed or in shock [from Fr. abasourdir - to daze]
  • bobbol - illegal activity
  • boobooloops - overweight or out of shape
  • chinkey - small
  • chip - a walking shuffle step done to slower soca tunes
  • chook - to pierce
  • choonkey - (see chinkey)
  • coskel - overdressed; also cosquelle
  • commess - confusion or controversy
  • doubles - a sandwich of sorts made with a saffron coloured bread and curried chick pea filling
  • ent? - "isn't that so?" , "right?" (used at the end of a sentence for emphasis; is similar to Spanish "¿no?")
  • dingolay - dance wildly
  • jagabat - woman of ill repute, also jammet
  • kaiso - calypso
  • lahay - to waste time
  • lime -When a small group of people engage in a sometimes pre-arranged activity
  • locho - lazy
  • mas - 1. Carnival costume or group of costumes under one theme, play mas- to partake in Carnival, i.e.- "wearin yuh mas" or "playin yuh mas"
  • maco - 1. a nosy person 2. to be nosy
  • macocious - exemplifying the traits of a maco
  • merasme - thin and frail
  • moo-moo - stupid person
  • nancy story - lies usu. as an excuse
  • nowherian - someone who is homeless or without a community
  • obzokee - oddly or awkwardly shaped
  • sometimeish - moody, unpredictable
  • skylark - (see lahay)
  • tabanca - the sadness one feels at the end of a love affair [from Sp. tabernero - tavern owner]
  • tootoolbay - head over heels in amazement or love (see bazodee) [from Fr. totalement bête - completely stupid]; also toutoulbay or toutoulbé or tabanca (specifically with reference to men)

• Patois
  • doux doux - sweet, a term of endearment
  • flambeau - a lighted torch
  • langniappe - bonus
  • macafoucette - left over food
  • maljo - evil eye [from Fr. mal yeux - bad eyes]
  • malkadee - convulse
  • mauvais langue - to malaign

• Hindi
  • baigan - eggplant
  • bap - father
  • barra - a deep fried saffron coloured bread (see doubles)
  • beta - son
  • beti - daughter
  • bodi - pole beans
  • dhal - ground up split peas
  • dhalphourie - a type of roti with ground up split peas inside
  • dhoti - the traditional white clothing of an Indian man
  • doolahin - wife or bride
  • gobar - talking nonsense
  • khurma - a traditional Indian sweet that is deep fried and coated with sugar
  • kuchela - a hot mango condiment
  • phulourie - deep fried dhal
  • sahina - deep fried dhal with either spinach, bok choy, or dasheen

See also

• Trinidadian English