Babylon- The corrupt establishment, the police, a police man

bad- good, great

badness- hooligan behaviour, violence for ots own sake

beast- a police man

bag o wire- a betrayer

bald head- a straight person, one without dreadlocks.

Bucky- home made gun

Bandulu- bandit, criminal

Batty bwoy, battie- gay person

beenie- little

Binghi- Wise

Bum clot, Blood clot, Ras clot- Corse words

Bwoy- boy

Clap- strike, break, hit

crissars- crisp, brand new

Cool runnings- a greeting; things are going smoothly

cork up- jammed, filled, crowded

Culture- reflecting or pertaining to ghetto roots values, The values, traditions most highly respected by rasta

control- to be in charge of, to own, to take

Cha! or cho!- a disdainful expletive

chalice- a pipe for smoking herbs, smoked ritually by rastafarians brethrens

corn- money, or a bullet

dolly- execute zig- zag movements of wheels

Dreadlocks- A person with dreadlocks, or hair which is never combed or cut but washed.

Dread- A Rasta man; a serious thing or idea

daughter or dawta- a girl friend

Dready- a friendly term for a brother Rasta

darkers- sunglasses

Dub- a roots electronic music created by skilful, artistic re- engineering of recorded track

feel no way- dont worry, dont take offence, dont be sorry

first light- tomorrow

fi- to

forward- in the future; to go, move on, set out fullness

ganja- herb, currently the official police word for herb

gansey- t- shirt, any knit shirt

gates- home, yard

general- cool operator, con artist

gorgon- great dreadlocks

hail!- a greeting

haffi- have to

hard- excellent, proficient, skilful

herb- marijuana

Hot stepper- fugitive, escape from jail or gun court

I- replaces " me, you, mine, my" also used to replace the first syllalbe of selected words. I dren meaning brethren, I tection meaning protection

I & I- I,me aslo me and you

Iditation- Meditation

I man- I, me, mine

I ney- greeting

irie- cool

I tal- vital, pure, wholesome, no meats, no salt nothing canned or preserved

I rey- excellent, fine, cool, or ok

I ly, I cense- marijuana

I thiopia- Ethiopia

Ites- the heights, great, Greetings or the color red

ignorant- overcome by passionate anger

J.A., Jam Down- Jamaica

Jah- Jah Rastafari, Haile Selassie I, King of kings, lord of lords, Conquering lion of Judah

Rasta Patois - Rasta Words & Meanings

Jah knows- Lord knows

likkle more- see you later

Lion- a righteous dread, a great soul

Mafia- all big time criminals

mash it up- a fantastic seccess

mash up, mash down- destroy

mega- thin

more time- see you later

my baby mamma- mother of my youth

natty dread- a man with dreadlocks

Nyabingi- a Rastafarian spiritual gathering

Niyah man- Wise man

no true?- isn't it so

One Love- a parting phase, expression of solidarity

Overstand- understand

pocomania, poco- Christian revival, distinct drum rhythm

Politricks- Politics

ranking- highly respected

Rasta, Rastafarian- a follower of Marcus Garvey who worships the almightly in the person of Haile Selassie

Ras Tafari- The Rastafarian deity, from Amharic title "Ras" meaning chief and "Tafari" the given name of Haile Selassie. Ras Tafari Makonnen was his name before ascended the Ethiopian throne

Raggamuffin- J.A. ghetto dweller

Ras- A title used by Rastafarians meaning "lord" or "head"

Red- very high on herb

roots- derived from the experience of the common people, indigenous, natural

Rude Bwoy- A criminal, a hard hearted person, a tough guy

satta- sit in, rest

Sinsemilla, sensi- popular, potent, seedless marijuana

Sista, Sister, sistren- Women, girlfriend, Rastafarian women

screw- to scowl, be angry

seen- I understand, I agree

sight?- do you understand

skank- to dip to the music while dancing

skin yuh teeth- to smile

skins- cigarette rolling paper

soft- not well done, broke no money

spliff- large cone shaped herb cigarette

shake out- leave without haste

step- to leave, depart

star- common term of affection," wh'appen star

sufferer- a pour struggling to survive

structure- health, physical well being

tall- long

tam- wool hat

teeth- bullets

transport- vehicle, car or truck

the I- you

upful- positive, encouraging

uptown- the upper class

vex- to be angry

whole heap- alot

wolf- a non Rastafarian dreadlocks

yard- tenement yard, home, homeland

yu no see it- you know?

youth- a child, a young man

Zion- I thiopia, the Rastafarian's promised land.