📜 The Origin of Jamaican Patois

Jamaican Patois was born out of pain, survival, and ingenuity.

During slavery, Africans from different tribes—speaking entirely different languages—were forcibly brought to Jamaica. Their native tongues, beliefs, and customs were stripped away. To communicate with each other and their English masters, they began mimicking what they heard.

But here’s the key: it was illegal to teach them to read or write, and grammar was never taught. So they spoke what they heard—without the formal pronunciation or subtle nuances of British English.

This is why, to this day, many Jamaicans don’t pronounce H’s (e.g., “house” becomes “'ouse”), and why we often drop or bend other syllables. These patterns aren’t random—they’re direct reflections of survival-based communication. It’s a language born out of resistance, necessity, and creativity.