Definitions by Dino
Latin America
Term used to describe countries in Americas - North, South and Central Americas - where Spanish, Portuguese or French is spoken as official languages. (NB: pls don't mix up the terms latin countries with underdevelopment countries, which are completely different.)
Although Guiana, Jamaica and Suriname are in South America and Caribbean region they are not latin contries as English and Dutch are their official languages.
Latin America by Dino May 13, 2005
dik-dik
Most dik-diks are nocturnal, especially on clear moonlit nights. Serengeti dik-diks, for example, rest only five hours at night, then spend the remaining time browsing for food and then sleep for most of the daylight hours.
piezano
"hey piezano how ya doin"
Jamaican patois
Jamaican Patwa {or Patois) is a so-called creole language. A "creole" is a language that has been influenced by others. In the case of Jamaican patois, the influences have come from French, Spanish, Arawak, Twi and many others.
Up until today, speaking creole has been widely regarded as "inferior", which is why Jamaican Patois has no convention for spelling and grammar. Thus you can spell it anyway you want it. For instance "brother" can be spelled "bradda", "breda" or "bretha", which only adds to the confusion. Modern dub poets like Linton Kwesi Johnson have taken it as far as spelling nearly every single word alternatively, even when the pronunciation is the same. E.g.: "one another" he spells "wananada".
There are many other varieties of patois, like Haitian patois, Santa Lucia patois, Louisiana patois etc.
Up until today, speaking creole has been widely regarded as "inferior", which is why Jamaican Patois has no convention for spelling and grammar. Thus you can spell it anyway you want it. For instance "brother" can be spelled "bradda", "breda" or "bretha", which only adds to the confusion. Modern dub poets like Linton Kwesi Johnson have taken it as far as spelling nearly every single word alternatively, even when the pronunciation is the same. E.g.: "one another" he spells "wananada".
There are many other varieties of patois, like Haitian patois, Santa Lucia patois, Louisiana patois etc.
Example of Shakira's Un Poco de Amor
lyrics Jamaican Patois verses:
Roots and creation com'again! / So mi guardian, mi guardian mi liff up di plana / Now everybody ago do dis one / Like in down di Caribbean / San Andrés, Providence Island / Liffit up, Mekit nuff affliction / Say goodbye to di worse segregation / Dis a di cage of di new generation / Liffit up to di high revelation
lyrics Jamaican Patois verses:
Roots and creation com'again! / So mi guardian, mi guardian mi liff up di plana / Now everybody ago do dis one / Like in down di Caribbean / San Andrés, Providence Island / Liffit up, Mekit nuff affliction / Say goodbye to di worse segregation / Dis a di cage of di new generation / Liffit up to di high revelation
Jamaican patois by Dino March 13, 2005
Magical Beat
This group has a nice mix of styles, reggae, soca, etc. In both Spanish and English, as most of the band members are from San Andrés and Providencia Islands. The residents of these tiny and exotic islands speak Caribbean English, despite they are Colombian territories, so Spanish is also spoken.
Magical Beat by Dino March 13, 2005
Queen Zinga (or N'zinga) M'Bandi
The king of Ngola (modern day Angola) had a sister named N’Zinga N’Bandi (1582–1663), or Mistress Ana de Souza, name of baptism in the Catholic church), who served as the negotiator of treaties with the Portuguese. She became queen in 1624 when her brother died, and assigned women important government offices. The Portuguese broke the peace agreement, so she led her largely female army against the invaders and built a strong confederation with neighbor kingdoms to eradicate the Portuguese. She ruled until she died at the age of 81.
The restless warrior Queen Zinga fought fiercely for over 40 years against the colonisation and slavery in Congo and Angola.
Queen Zinga (or N'zinga) M'Bandi by Dino March 13, 2005