United States
I specialize in nonfiction articles with occasional forays into fiction.
Eddie Osborne turns the spotlight on Alfonso D Brooks - the Sint Maarten-born sound engineer turned cultural entrepreneur behind South Florida's AfriKin Art ...
Haitian Creole's Surprising DNA A look at various contributors to this French-based speech system It's safe to say that few people realize that Haitian Creole (kreyòl ayisyen), spoken in the ...
It bit during my childhood in mid-1950s Atlanta. The "it" here was an early interest in languages kindled in the wake of the weekly visits by an itinerant teacher who came each week to drill my...
Where would one look for a more formal substitute for handshaking?
As it had for the past several days, the roaring of dozens of machines as they gouged out and leveled huge sections of earth jarred me awake. I sat up, rubbed the slumber from my eyes, and thought, I...
Each language has its exclusive domain. French, for its part, is reserved for formal situations. It is the language of formal education...
Of the non-European countries of the world, those on the African continent by far have the greatest number of names that were bestowed by outsiders. The Greeks, Romans, and Arabs were among the first...
Knowledge of the Language can be an aid in learning other French-based creoles
Misnomers are examples of terms that fail to define things they refer to accurately.
At last, the final installment in this series. Stay tuned for forthcoming language-related investigations and other offerings. A form meaning variously "in," "at," and "to" in Gullah/BEV...
American names come from all over the world - but did you know about these 10 African-derived names in the USA? Eddie Osborne explains.
Ask the average speaker of English to list terms that have entered the language from European languages such as Greek, Latin, French, or Italian, and chances are that you'll get a veritable catalog...
I'm guessing that you're among the millions who watched Alex Haley's TV mini-series, Roots, back in the day. If so, you'll likely recall the episode in which the central character, Kunta Kinte, was whipped mercilessly for refusing to answer to the name Toby.
Kikongo and other Bantu languages have made significant lexical contributions to English
Bambara and other Mande languages have made significant lexical contributions to English
Fula is a West African language that has made significant lexical contributions to English
Where Is America, and Who Is American? By E. Osborne Remember Lewis Carrol's children's novel Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There? If so, you'll likely recall the exchange in which Humpty Dumpty, the anthropomorphized egg, responds to Alice's question about the meaning of a word he had used: "When I use a word, it means exactly what I want it to mean - nothing more, nothing less."
Wolof, a language spoken primarily in the West African nations of Senegal andThe Gambia, has contributed numerous vocabulary items to English.
By E. Osborne If you've ever been to New Orleans on Mardi Gras Day (traditionally a Tuesday in either February or March), on Saint Joseph's Day (March 19), on "Super Sunday" (usually the Sunday after St.
Stroll the streets of South Florida cities these days, and you'll likely come upon odd-looking stickers affixed to utility poles, bus benches, and trees. The stickers bear the face of a gorilla, which is accompanied by the letters MOAL.
If an award were given for Multitasker of the Month, South Florida musicianturned- arts entrepreneur Jose Elias likely would win hands down. Besides regularly fronting either of his two groups, Nag Champayons and Cortadito, Elias occasionally lends guitar and tres support to Conjunto Progreso and the Spam Allstars, among others.
South Florida-based multi-talent Ettosi Brooks is a study in contrasts. Like her older brother, the late Cedric "Im" Brooks, a renowned roots reggae musician, composer, and arranger, she demonstrated...
Founded by Njeri Plato, Delou African Dance Ensemble is one of the nation's premier dance ensembles. We sat down for an in-depth talks with Njeri Plato.
Okay, foodies, what's the name of the popular Southern delicacy that features sliced root tubers topped with a caramelized glaze created by baking brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon...
While watching a recent video of Jacksonville, Florida, sheriff's deputies brutalizing a young Black man during a traffic stop, I was reminded of my experiences while living in the city many years...
Last of a Series. "Jamaican Patwa Phrases for Various Occasions" is published by E. Osborne.
When traveling, unless you're with someone who knows the area, there's always the possibility that you may become lost. If you do, the following will help you to get back on track.
Having your personal service-related needs met in Kingston and other large cities shouldn't prove too difficult. Beauty parlors, barber shops, tailors, and seamstresses can be located quite easily...
In terms of the range of goods, the offerings in Jamaica fall short of what's available in the United States. Even so, you'll find the offerings in Jamaica varied enough to make shopping outings well...
Though first-time visitors to Jamaica will find some of the fare a bit unusual, a number of the items, and their preparation methods, will be familiar. The following is a sampling of typical Jamaican...
Welcome back! In this segment, we'll look at phrases you can use when meeting people, inquiring about others, discussing the weather, and more. (Note: You can listen to the phrases via Speechify by...
Now that matters of grammar are out of the way, we'll focus on phrases that can be used in various social situations during a visit to Jamaica. However, the material is general enough to be of use...
This brief discussion of Patwa's grammatical structure will be useful in helping you understand the logic behind how words and phrases are strung together. The definite article in Jamaican is di...
The names of most African nations were given during the Scramble for Africa of the colonial period
This is the first in a series of articles featuring useful words and phrases in Jamaican Patwa (Patois), the expressive language of the Caribbean nation of Jamaica.
We heard the sound long before the maker came into view. But we all recognized it as that of Jumbo's three massive feet impacting the hard-packed earth of the compound. "You won't believe this!"...
A short story in which divine intervention results in dogs being freed from human control.
The Decision is a short story featuring a pigeon named Jack and a turtle named Tom