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Anonymous Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
slang in Mattafix songs
I had a look at the lyrics of the song "Big City life" by Mattafix. There are phrases which I can't understand or even if I know their meaning I don't their origin. Who uses them? In what situations?
"Big City Life,
Me try fi get by,
Pressure nah ease up no matter how hard me try.
Big City Life,
Here my heart have no base,
And right now Babylon de pon me case"
The unclear fragments are: me; fi, nah (I guess it means no); de pon me case.
Thanks for your help.
"Big City Life,
Me try fi get by,
Pressure nah ease up no matter how hard me try.
Big City Life,
Here my heart have no base,
And right now Babylon de pon me case"
The unclear fragments are: me; fi, nah (I guess it means no); de pon me case.
Thanks for your help.
Top answer
This doesn't make much sense to a native speaker. It could be Jamaican patois or some 'street' lingo. I'll have a guess though: I try to get by, The pressure doesn't ease no matter how much I try, My heart is not in it, And right now Babylon is on my case (Babylon is bothering him) Here's a bit on Babylon: "Babylon" in Jamaican English is more or less equivalent to the American expession " The Man ".
- This doesn't make much sense to a native speaker.
- It could be Jamaican patois or some 'street' lingo.
- I'll have a guess though: I try to get by, The pressure doesn't ease no matter how much I try, My heart is not in it, And right now Babylon is on my case (Babylon is bothering him) Here's a bit on Babylon: "Babylon" in Jamaican English is more or less equivalent to the American expession " The Man ".
- "Babylon" has a broad context in Rastafarian and Jamaican thought, that includes all parts of the current political and economic system that are corrupt and intent on fostering inequity and inequality.
- See: "Babylon System", by Bob Marley on the Survival Album.
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21 Answers
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This doesn't make much sense to a native speaker. It could be Jamaican patois or some 'street' lingo.
I'll have a guess though:
I try to get by,
The pressure doesn't ease no matter how much I try,
My heart is not in it,
And right now Babylon is o
I'll have a guess though:
I try to get by,
The pressure doesn't ease no matter how much I try,
My heart is not in it,
And right now Babylon is o
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0 In places like New Zealand and Australia they use the word 'nah' to say no... i hope i helped (even a little bit is good right?) 02 br
02 br
00 i dont understand the fi either... 02 br
02 br
00 sorry 0-
02 br
00 i dont understand the fi either... 02 br
02 br
00 sorry 0-
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0 01 b 00 Me 02 b 00 try 01 b 00 fi 02 b 00 get by, 02 br
00 Pressure 01 b 00 nah 02 b 00 ease up no matter how hard 01 b 00 me 02 b 00 try. 02 br
00 Big City Life, 02 br
00 Here my heart 01 b 00 have 02 b 00 no base, 02 br
00 And right now Babylon 01 b 00 de pon me 0
00 Pressure 01 b 00 nah 02 b 00 ease up no matter how hard 01 b 00 me 02 b 00 try. 02 br
00 Big City Life, 02 br
00 Here my heart 01 b 00 have 02 b 00 no base, 02 br
00 And right now Babylon 01 b 00 de pon me 0
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0 01 b 01 font 01 i 00 Cool.... i was wonderin 4 ages what it meant... 05 0 00 Thanks !! 02 i 02 font 02 b 010id 2
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i'm a teacher and imagine how easy it was to explain the stuff to youngsters
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perhaps the "de pon" is something like "step on" as in "step on my case" - "causing an issue" .... just a thought
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"de pon (my case)", as stated above, is, in standard American English, "they are on (my case)".
It means they won't leave me in peace. They won't leave me alone. They constantly bother me, annoy me, pick on me, find fault with me, hassel me, criticize me, take me to task. Its almost always someone in authority who is 'on the case' of a subordinate.
Sam's mother is al
It means they won't leave me in peace. They won't leave me alone. They constantly bother me, annoy me, pick on me, find fault with me, hassel me, criticize me, take me to task. Its almost always someone in authority who is 'on the case' of a subordinate.
Sam's mother is al
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How cool! You know Jamaican, Jim!
I've always wanted to know Jamaican... well, I've always wanted to know all varieties of English, actually, lol, but I hardly have enough time to learn American English.
I only know "Me mama is ova desso", or something like that, which should be "My mom is over there", if I'm not mistaken. And that "how" is pronounced "hoe". That's all I think I know.
I've always wanted to know Jamaican... well, I've always wanted to know all varieties of English, actually, lol, but I hardly have enough time to learn American English.
I only know "Me mama is ova desso", or something like that, which should be "My mom is over there", if I'm not mistaken. And that "how" is pronounced "hoe". That's all I think I know.
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