dino's definitions

give me a five

To hit the inside of someone's hand with your hand to show that you're very pleased about something. See also "roots me again".

Give me a five, pal!

by Dino March 11, 2005

Mahout

Mahout is defined as being a person who drives, takes care of and controls elephants. Traditionally, life-time or career mahouts were knowledgeable, highly experienced individuals well-versed in elephant-rearing skills. These were true masters with an intimate understanding of their 'wards'. Men who possessed an exceptional ability to communicate and control their elephants with simple verbal commands and touch. See also elephant-keeper and Cornac.

In India and Southern Asia each elephant is assigned a driver, called a mahout, who formes a bond with his particular charge for years.

by Dino March 11, 2005

Elephant-keeper

See description in mahout.

There are many elephant-keepers in southern Asia.

by Dino March 11, 2005

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.

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

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.

Hey, let's go dancing tonight, there's an electrical show of Magical Beat Band in Cartagena!

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.

by Dino March 13, 2005

Physique du role

The overall look one has that shows exactly what profession, career, activite one performs.

Halle Berry is not only a very beautiful woman, but she has got the perfect "physique du role" to play a real femme fatale as a Bond Girl.

by Dino March 13, 2005