No, I dont sound Jamaican.

Neither does lilbro, having been here since he was 4.

By the way.. he's grown and 25.

Anyway, although I rarely flash any Jamaican patois, it sometimes catches my Born Jamerican sibling by surprise when I do, specially as he tries hard to feel like a native Jamaican.. which he is, but not really.

He was born there, but his formative years were all in New York.

His feeling like an outsider often shows when his older siblings do the Pennant thing (long thing about us outwardly quiet and reserved folk displaying a surprising -until you get to know us - gift for the gab)and start talking about shared childhood and teenage things that he wasnt a part of, using language thats not in his vocabulary.

So, when he emailed me to make arrangements about coming to pick me up in the morning for a BBQ at BigSis' place in Wherethefuck, NJ.. I used a word in patois, because I couldnt think of an apt english colloquial equivalent.

I said I was going to 'wedge' and have the front door open for him to be able to come up to my apartment, as my intercom and buzzer is still busted.

So, I wrote in colloquial patois "Im goin' to kotch the door for you."

I swear to god, he was SOOO chuffed when I used that term.. that he wrote back "yeah cotch the door for me. that sounds good".

He hasnt stopped using that word since, prompting BigSis to ask him, "what IS it with you and the word 'kotch'?"

I dont know, I just find that funny and endearing at the same time. :-)
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