so, liberian english is an experience. as you can hear in this clip, it's a pidgin of "standard" english; spoken raplidly, the ends of words are swallowed, and there are some pretty significant colloquial vocabulary differences. i think it's fun to just listen to as i learn to understand it better. some of my blog posts will highlight things i've noticed and liked in liberian english. i can't promise 100% accuracy, so i hope you'll cut me some slack if i get things wrong; it's just what i've observed, understood, or talked about with my liberian friends.
enjoy (v): to have a good time; to party
“wha’ you will do this weekend?”
“we jus’ enjoy ourself, shake small-oh” (“we’ll have some fun, do a little dancing”)
in liberia, if people do anything as sedate as “enjoy” their lunch, i rarely hear about it. the word is, as far as i can tell, used primarily to describe what one does during a party, a holiday, or any other opportunity to celebrate or kick back and (possibly) tie one on. often used with a knowing smile, and always with great relish.
...and if you're going to enjoy yourself liberian style this weekend, you should do it to what is probably the most commonly played song in clubs and bars here: "chop my money" by p-square, a nigerian identical twin duo. i should totally be sick of this song after five months, but it's, like, MIND-BENDINGLY catchy, and everyone just pours on to the dance floor when it comes on (including me! apparently i have something resembling "moves" here. i know, i'm as surprised as you...unless i was actually being made fun of, in which case that makes so much more sense).
happy friday, enjoy your weekend!
enjoy (v): to have a good time; to party
“wha’ you will do this weekend?”
“we jus’ enjoy ourself, shake small-oh” (“we’ll have some fun, do a little dancing”)
in liberia, if people do anything as sedate as “enjoy” their lunch, i rarely hear about it. the word is, as far as i can tell, used primarily to describe what one does during a party, a holiday, or any other opportunity to celebrate or kick back and (possibly) tie one on. often used with a knowing smile, and always with great relish.
...and if you're going to enjoy yourself liberian style this weekend, you should do it to what is probably the most commonly played song in clubs and bars here: "chop my money" by p-square, a nigerian identical twin duo. i should totally be sick of this song after five months, but it's, like, MIND-BENDINGLY catchy, and everyone just pours on to the dance floor when it comes on (including me! apparently i have something resembling "moves" here. i know, i'm as surprised as you...unless i was actually being made fun of, in which case that makes so much more sense).
happy friday, enjoy your weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment