One Time | Yuh is ah Trini

Triniglish|Trinididioms Spoken and Explained #47
Yuh is ah Trini|"One Time"

One time... Just like that could only mean one thing only right? Well not if you are a Trinidadian because just like the color and splendor that made our carnival world renowned so too is our Creole English. So hold that thought for a moment and contemplate on what the Trini really is saying... pause and think again then hold your breath for the meaning.

'One time' is another one of those Triniglish|Trini phrase that eventually settles in with an OK, sounds reasonable enough. Reasonable if you can understand the context that Trinidadians use the phrase. Then again even understanding the context does not mean that an 'outsider' will get it. Even some foreign based Trinidadians who pretend to be Trini2dbone know the phrase but struggle to explain the meaning. This is the case with most of the phrases as they have become disconnected with the land of their birth.

So here we are again but you may desire that I simply state the meaning of the phrase, 'one time'. Yes I said you want the meaning "one time" and with that you should have been able to grasp the fact that I meant you want the explanation 'immediately' or as most Trinis like to say 'right now'.

If you surf the internet for Trini Slangs or Trini Lingo you will come across various examples on the use of various phrases. However, if you pause and think about it you may just remember 'back in the day stoning down' some mangoes from somebody's property and after the mango hits the ground boudoup you ran to get it. Then you hear, "get to hell outa meh yard, yuh faddah plant dat mango tree dey?" After snatchin' up the mango yuh hustle out of the yard 'one time'. Just as you got in for the mango jus'so yuh leave the yard, pot hounds and all on your heels. What happened next was precious... Dat was the sweetest mango yuh ever had!

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