Not only do Caymanians have a distinct dialect, with accents even varying from district to district, but they also have many unique words and phrases. To shed light on this, and to preserve Cayman’s linguistic heritage, Kevin Goring spent years compiling the ‘Cayman Islands Dictionary’ and a companion book, ‘Caymanian Expressions’. There are hundreds of phrases and sayings in the collections, some dating back generations.
Here are a few examples for those who want to talk like a local:
“Unna cum nah” – Come with me, all of you. Let’s go.
“Who You Fuh?” – Who are your parents?
“Trouble Don’t Blow Shell” – Bad things happen without warning.
“Wah goin’ on dogg-eh? – What’s up? How are you?
“I’m too cool to pop” – I’m doing really well. Life is good.
“Unna ketchin’ gapseed again?” – What are you talking about?
