“Out of many one people” this is Jamaican's motto which reflects its rich history as a former British slave colony. Especially the music bonds the people and it is really important for Jamaicans. The language they use is marked by their African roots but no real standard has been developed yet. Music is the best way to reach the people and it plays an important role for standardization. Jamaican musicians who are very popular can therefore have a certain influence of the Jamaican people in terms of language.
The aim of this term paper will be to investigate on the Jamaican Patois based on selected Dancehall music examples, which is the most popular music genre in Jamaica.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Theoretical Part
- 2.1. History's Influence on Jamaican Patois and Identity
- 2.2. The Linguistic Features of Jamaican Patois
- 2.3. The Creole Continuum
- 2.4. Dancehall Music
- 3. PILOT STUDY: JAMAICAN PATOIS IN Dancehall MusiC
- 3.1. Methodology and Database
- 3.2. Analysis
- 3.2.1 Analysis of "Dash out" by T.I.F.A
- 3.2.2. Analysis of "Party Shot" by Popcaan
- 3.2.3 Comparison
- 4. Conclusion, Caveats and Outlook
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper aims to analyze the Jamaican Patois within the context of Dancehall music, the most popular music genre in Jamaica. To understand the linguistic influences on Jamaican Patois, the study provides a historical overview and explores the linguistic features of the language. This includes a revision of DeCamp's model of a Creole Continuum. The research focuses on investigating the role of Dancehall music in the standardization of Jamaican Patois and how it influences the language used by Jamaican musicians.
- The historical influences on Jamaican Patois and its connection to Jamaican identity
- The linguistic features of Jamaican Patois
- The Creole Continuum model and its application to Dancehall music
- The role of Dancehall music in standardizing Jamaican Patois
- The influence of popular Jamaican musicians on the language
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage for the study, highlighting the importance of music and language in Jamaican culture and the role of popular musicians in shaping linguistic norms. The theoretical part delves into the historical roots of Jamaican Patois, examining the influence of colonialism and the African heritage. It also provides an overview of the linguistic features of Jamaican Patois and introduces the concept of the Creole Continuum, a model that explains the variation in language use within a community. Finally, it provides a brief definition of Dancehall music.
The pilot study focuses on analyzing two Dancehall music examples, "Dash out" by T.I.F.A. and "Party Shot" by Popcaan, using the Creole Continuum model. It discusses the methodology and database used for the analysis. The analysis of each song examines how Jamaican Patois is used within the musical context and compares the findings to the Creole Continuum model.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this study include Jamaican Patois, Dancehall music, Creole Continuum, language standardization, linguistic features, historical influences, popular music, Jamaican culture, and identity.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anja Zeisberg (Autor:in), 2012, Analyzing the Jamaican Creole Continuum, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/212616
