English in the Caribbean

When we hear the word English, we naturally think of the language spoken by those living in the United Kingdom or of the people living in England. We also often think of their language as the international language, the one spoken as a native language in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, countries which have had a close association with England for centuries. However, English is spoken as a native or second language in a large number of other countries which were once colonies of the British Empire.
　　Latin America, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, is often thought of as a linguistically homogenous area of Latinate languages (those languages like French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish which originated from Latin). This is generally true, as the vast majority of peoples there speak Spanish or Portuguese as their mother tongue. However, a number of small Caribbean island nations were also once part of the British Empire; accordingly, their citizens even after independence speak English. These nations include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Barbados, and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
　　Do the Caribbean English speakers speak British English? Not exactly. All over the world where English has been spoken for hundreds of years by speakers of other languages, certain special accents or dialects have arisen. India is famous for "Indian English"; "Irish English" is unmistakable, too. Likewise, Caribbean English has its own special patterns, vocabulary, and even grammatical forms different from the standard RP (received pronunciation, also referred to as Received Standard) of British English. These special features include a lilt or "sing-song" sound to the language, and plenty of local slang.
　　As only a relatively few people live on these islands, how can we hear their special dialect or accent? One kind of pop music called reggae is the easiest way outside of befriending someone from these nations. Reggae music has been popular since the 1980s, when performers like Bob Marley of Jamaica pleasantly surprised the world with their own original reggae music as well as their interpretations of other well-known pop Anglo music. Reggae is famous for its strong, often syncopated beat, laid-back singing style, and, of course, the "island" dialect. Another perennial music favorite is calypso, which is also sung in the Caribbean island English dialect. The hit song "Yes, We Have No Bananas," is reminiscent of this drum-heavy musical style, especially from Trinidad and Tobago.
　　Given the islands' historic ties to both the United Kingdom and the United States, it is little wonder that today the peoples of these small nations continue to use English in government, academia, business, and trade. Local languages still exist alongside the Caribbean English dialect, too, but they are mostly the patois of the marketplace and home. Many of the residents of this area, also referred to as the West Indies or the Antilles, have emigrated to the U.K. or the U.S. and, because of their linguistic prowess, have done relatively well as so-called "third world" immigrants. A few writers of contemporary renown also hail from this area, as do some sports figures.
　　If you plan to visit any of the above-mentioned islands for any purpose, do not worry about your language skills. Caribbean peoples are well-known for their friendly, patient dispositions. After a few days, your ear will become attuned to the lilting cadence of the lovely Caribbean English dialects, and your stay in this tropical paradise will be all the more rewarding.

　　我们听到 English 这个字时，自然而然会想到那是住在英国的人或是那些居住在英格兰的人所讲的语言。我们也时常视他们的语言为国际语言，几世纪以来它在和英国有密切关联的国家如爱尔兰、美国、加拿大、澳洲和新西兰等国中被当作本国语使用。然而，英语在其它许多曾经是大英帝国殖民地的国家中也被当作本国语或第二语言使用。
　　包括墨西哥、中美洲、加勒比海和南美洲在内的拉丁美洲在语言上常被视为同属拉丁语系（法语、意大利语、葡萄牙语和西班牙语等语言皆源自于拉丁语）的地区。一般来说这是事实，因为那些地区绝大多数的民族都使用西班牙语或葡萄牙语作为母语。然而，有一些加勒比海的小岛国家也曾经是大英帝国的一部分；因此，它们的人民即使在独立后仍继续使用英语。这些国家包括安提瓜、巴哈马、多米尼加、格林那达、牙买加、巴巴多斯以及特立尼达和多巴哥共和国。
　　加勒比海人说的是英式英语吗？不见得。英语在世界各地被其它语言的人使用几百年之后，产生了某些特别的腔调或方言。印度的“印度式英语”很出名，“爱尔兰式英语”也不会被搞错。同样地，加勒比海式英语有它自己特殊的句型、词汇，甚至还有和公认标准英语发音（或称公认标准英语）不同的语法结构。这些特色包括轻快的旋律或“歌唱般的”语言声调，以及丰富的当地俚语。
　　而因为居住在这些岛上的居民相当少，我们又如何听到他们特别的方言或腔调呢？除了和来自这些国家的人交朋友之外，听一种叫雷盖的流行音乐是最简单的方法。雷盖音乐自1980年代以来流行至今，当时诸如牙买加人鲍伯．马利等表演者以其独创的雷盖音乐和诠释其它著名英国流行音乐让全世界的人大为赞叹称奇。雷盖音乐以节奏强烈，且通常切分音拍的轻松演唱方式，当然还有“岛上”方言而闻名。另一种长久以来受喜爱的音乐是以加勒比海岛上的英语方言唱出的加力骚（特立尼达岛上土人所演唱的歌曲）。畅销曲“是的，我们没有香蕉”令人想起这种特别是出自特立尼达和多巴哥鼓声沉重的音乐风格。
　　由这些岛屿与英国和美国的历史关系看来，也难怪这些小国中的各民族至今在政府机关、学术界、商业和贸易上仍继续使用英语。当地的语言也仍然和加勒比海式英语方言并存着，但它们大都是在市场和家里所用的土话。这地区有许多居民（又叫西印度群岛人或安的利斯人）已经移民到英国或美国，并且由于他们的语言天分，以所谓“第三世界”移民者的身分表现得相当不错。就像某些运动人物一样，当代一些著名的作家也来自这个地区。
　　如果你计划去拜访上列提到的任何国家，不必担心你的语言能力。加勒比海人友善和具耐心的天性是很出名的。几天之后，你的耳朵就会习惯美妙的加勒比海式英语方言那种抑扬顿挫的轻快节拍，而停留在这个热带天堂的你将获益良多。