Jamaican dialect
Used as a susbtitute for the subject pronoun (non-standard) or the Demonstrative pronoun those.
Much like the object pronoun me replaces "I" informally.
It used as a plural marker in some cases but, not always and is used most times when it's replaceable with the subject pronoun they.
Eg.
Me speak whole heap of languages them. (Incorrect)
Me speak whole heap of languages. (Only correct version).
The tires them (dem) in the
shed outta
front. (Correct non-standard)
The tires, they're in the
shed out front. (Correct standard)
Who
yah going out with later?
Me
friends them (dem). (Short reply exception)
What you going to do later?
Wash me clothes them (dem) (short reply exception)
Them (dem) love jerk
chicken you see. (Patois)
They love jerk
chicken, you see. (Standard J'can)
The cows (them) dem over deh need feeding. (Not Patois pluralisation)
'Em cows over there need feeding. (Ebonics)
The cows, they're over there. They need feeding. (Standard J'Can)
The mother them (dem) who not coming lemme know. (Patois pluralisation the mothers, those who
aren't coming let me know )
'Em mothers who aint coming lemme know. (Ebonics)
Those mothers who aren't coming let me know. (Standard J'can)