Sohn “y” wod eena Kriol

yaga n. sore, usually on the foot. Da yaga pahn yu fut big laik wahn shilin. That sore on your foot is as big as a shilling. See: banja fut.

 

yaga-yaga adj. scaly; sore and itchy-looking. (Refers to condition of the skin.) Dehn flai bait mek fi yoo fut luk yaga yaga. Those mosquito bites have your feet looking sore and itchy. See: fereh, hashishi.

 

 

yaha Variant: waha.

 

 

yaha chree n. tree also known as 'sanpaypa chree' because its leaves contain silica and are rough like sandpaper, and it can be used for this purpose; seeds are roasted and can be used to flavor chocolate; charcoal is made from the wood. Curatella americana. See: sanpaypa chree.

 

 

yaiy eye. Variant: aiy.

 

 

yala (var: yalo, yela, yelo) adj. yellow. Noh kay wehpaat a di Kyaribeeyan yu goh, yu kyaahn mis ‘Courts’ sayk a dehn brait yala kala. No matter what part of the Caribbean you go to, you can’t miss the Courts store because of their bright yellow color.

 

 

yala feeva n. yellow fever. Dehn doz beri pipl weh ded fahn yala feeva bak a Yaabra. They used to bury people who died of yellow fever way down in Yarborough.

 

 

yala jaa n. fer-de-lance. Ah neva soh fraitn eena aal mi laif laik wen Ah bok op di yala jaa pahn mi step. I’ve never been so frightened in my whole life as when I ran into the fer-de-lance on my steps. See: taamigaaf.

 

 

yalahed paarat n. yellow-headed parrot (southern type) Amazona ochrocephala. Sohnbadi tel mi seh yalahed da di oanli paarat weh ku taak. Somebody told me that the yellow head is the only parrot that talks.

 



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Kriol is the language spoken by many Belizeans, especially the Creole people of Belize. Although it is often perceived as a dialect of English, it is indeed it's own language with grammar and spelling rules. The National Kriol Council of Belize was created to promote the culture and language of the Kriol people of Belize, as well as harmony among all the ethnic groups of Belize. Please visit the website of the National Kriol Council of Belize for lots of good information about the Kriol language and the Creole people.


The Kriol Council has been kind enough to send us the weekly "Weh Wi Ga Fi Seh" column that is usually published in the Reporter.


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