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Triniglish|Trinididioms Spoken and Explained #21 | Yuh is ah Trini if you understand the terms "Fresh and outa place" & Yuh too damn farce"

Something interesting happened while I was at work watching the chat in one of the chat boxes. Someone, in reference to a post by another person, remarked, "He too fresh and outa place". Immediately I thought that the ideal phrase to compliment that statement was "he is too damn farce". Now the thing about Trinis is that they use these common phrases every day without thinking about the meaning and application; it simply flows with the conversation. Today I decided to put my friends to the test. 

"Look ting, what wrong with the boi? He fresh and out of place. Yuh mean, he to damn farce." Now that was the hook to catch my fish... Not salt-fish because that is something that I really like providing it is done 'just right'. Oh gosh forgive me, but salt-fish always does this to me. 

The test was a very simple one and I went straight into the shoutbox and asked the question: What is the difference between these two phrases, "fresh and outa place" and "he too damn farce". In other words, I basically asked the people in the box to explain the meaning of both phrases. There was quiet and the regular pops that indicated new posts were made to the box screeched to a halt. Eventually, one person replied, "I don't know Santi(wah). I still had hope watching the box for some kind of hint to see if my Trini peeps know what they say when they say it. That reminds me, I should really revive "Dey Say and Dem Say" those conversations were really fun. Ok back to the subject being discussed. 

It was karma, the Trini heavens opened and my friend Lee aka Sandiego Lee typed in the box:

"Insolence and nosiness". Bingo is right on the mark... kudos to my friend Lee. I know there had to be a 'smartman' in the box. Smart-man but not as in someone who would trick you to have his way OK. We will take the meaning in a literal sense. 

"Fresh and outa place". Insolence - disturbing quality of being offensive, rude, inappropriate, impolite, and disrespectful.

"Too damn farce". Nosey - offensively curious or inquisitive.

I am smiling now because if one should take the opportunity to really listen to the way we speak then there is sweetness in the accent but joy when one can understand the tone of the conversation. We are special and it goes without saying that the same applies for the rest of the Caribbean region.

I just love my country; I simply love the way we speak and I don't intend to change for anyone. Trinidadians who adopt the lingo and accent of another country don't realize that they are giving up something that many people consider sweet and would simply love to speak similarly but most of all understand the way we communicate our feelings and thoughts with one another. Word to the wise... Don't become a "Fresh Water Yankee". Hey that could very well be my next post.
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