20 Jamaican words that originated from Nigerian languages

The Jamaican Patois is a colourful mix of several languages passed down from our colonial past and Igbo, Efik and Yoruba ancestors.

Igbo culture and languages, as well as other cultures from Africa, were key in forming the Jamaican Patois language and culture during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Here are a few:

1. Akara

This derived from the Yoruba àkàrà, and points to a type of street food — bean cakes.

2. Attoo

This derived from the Igbo átú, meaning “chewing stick”

3. Big-eye

“Big Eye” is derived directly from the Igbo “anya ukwu”, meaning “greedy”

4. Breechee

This is from mbùríchì, meaning an Nri-Igbo nobleman

5. Buckra

This is an Efik term from mbakára, meaning “white man”

6. Chink, Chinch

This is from the Igbo ch??nch??, meaning “bedbug”

7. Country ibo

from ??gbò, Pluchea odorata or Ptisana purpurascens

8. De, Deh

This is derived from the Igbo d?, [with adverbial] meaning “is” (to be)

9. Door-mouth

This is a claque from ??n?? ??z?? (mouth + door), meaning “doorway”

10. Hard-head

This is from Igbo ísí íké, (head + hard, strength), meaning “obstinate”

11. Himba

This is from Igbo mba, “yam root”, a type of yam, Rajania cordata

12. Kaba-kaba

is derived from Yoruba (and Akan, Ewe) and means ‘unreliable, inferior, worthless’

13. Mumu

means "dumb", but is derived from Yoruba (and Ewe) where it means 'slow in the head'

14. Obeah

from Igbo ?bi?, meaning “doctoring”, “mysticism”

15. Okra

This is from the Igbo ?kwur?, a vegetable

16. Poto-poto

This is from the Yoruba “opoto-opoto”, mkp?t?-mkp?t?, meaning “mud”, “muddy”

17. Red Ibo, Eboe

from ??gbò, a person with a light skin colour or a mulatto of mixed parentage

18. Se

This is from the Igbo s?, which usually follows with a quote. Also from Akan se and English say

19. Soso

This is from the Igbo s?s? meaning “only”

20. Unu

from Igbo language únù, meaning “you (plural)”