Calabash Cove, located on the northern tip of St. Lucia, where David gets a quick lesson on the local language 'Patois', more commonly known as Creole. In this iPhone Short, Chris informs David on the history and roots, as well as some of the basics (and not so basics) of the local language.
About Me: My name is David Hoffmann and for the last decade I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food and history! Since starting Davidsbeenhere in 2008, I have traveled to 71 countries and over 1,000 destinations, which I welcome you to check out on my YouTube Channel, blog and social medias.
I focus a great deal on food and historic sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, whether it’s casual Street food or gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning the local history and culture.
Hello everyone, so I'm here in Calabash Cove in St. Lucia, northern tip of the island.
And I'm here with Chris and he's going to explain to me a little bit of the language which is Padua or Creole.
And he's going to just break it down for me really quick.
Okay, well Creole itself is a mixture of different languages.
Some of us say it's a broken French.
However, it's a mixture of the English, a little Spanish in there, a little South African.
So it's a mixture of different things.
To give you an example for the word me, which is I in English, but it's also a Padua word for corn, like corn in the cob.
You know, you do have, where it gets confusing in terms of writing it,
is certain words that you use in Padua could be used so many different ways, which means different things.
Like for example, if you want to tell me stop, you're going to tell me dubut.
If you want to tell me, if you're coming towards me and I want to tell you stop, then I still tell you dubut, which is the very same thing.
So that's one of the reasons why it is difficult in writing and whatnot.
Okay, well, sorry, let me ask you a few questions, like just a few words, and you repeat in the language.
Okay, so how are you?
How are you would mean sao cafe.
Or you could say kumon yee.
Okay, good morning?
Good morning would be bonjour, which is the same as English.
It's the same, thank you, which is the same, merci.
You know, so it's really, that's where the French is coming in, you know.
Okay, what about one through ten?
You want me to count one through ten for you?
Yeah, one through ten, yeah, sorry.
Again, it's the same as the French.
And what about give me a kiss?
I don't think so.
All right, thank you so much, Chris.
You're most welcome, my friend, you're most welcome.
And this is the view here.
Wow.
