Monday, November 07, 2005

Common and Ordinary People

So in my last post I kinda hinted (I think) that I have a couple of half finished blogs. Well if that wasn't clear yea I have like a million half finished blogs that haven't seen the light of day. Some that I thought had great potential others that sucked, some which just I decided need to be put in another forum or format other than a blog. A so it go.

Anyway at some point I plan on doing a Chappell thing and just airing a few of the ones that didn't get posted so maybe I'll start today.

Image hosted by Photobucket.comSaturday night I had the pleasure of checking out Autumn Leaves on Steel which was a steelpan soloist show held here in the T dot. All of the performers were truly amazing but the best was the special guest performer Ken 'Professor' Philmore. Yo the bredren was wicked on the tenor pan! He played hits like Michael Jackson's Rock with you, Earth Wind and Fire's Fantasy and recent soca hits like Soul on Fire and First experience by KMC. Trust me, the man really gave an outstanding performance making that tenor pan really talk.

Another song he performed was Ordinary People by John Legend which led in my mind directly to a tie in to this previously unreleased blog (from June sometime).
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Ok Now Jdid focus man, focus.

Now in the same frame of mind that I gave you all Two words I bring to you Common and Ordinary People. Same frame of mind? What's he talking about? I teaching wunnah some more bajan (Barbadian) slang. LOL. Why? Simply just felt like it.

Image hosted by Photobucket.comNow I don't know if all of you folk are music buffs like me but if you are you may have noticed that two of the hotter names out there in the r'nb and hip hop world are the singer John Legend and the rapper Common.

Both appeared on the cover of last month's (that being May or June not sure) Vibe Magazine, along with rapper/producer Kanye West who produced most of both men's albums: Common's Be and John Legend's Get Lifted.

Oh as an aside Bajan calypsonian Rupee is also featured in that issue of Vibe talking about roast' breadfruit and flying fish a true bajan dish as opposed to this whole issue with Rhianna and her Calalloo (I tell wunnah already Bajans don't deal wid no callaloo). (Aside: See told y'all I had mentioned Rhianna in a blog before.) Still bajan folk making big moves it seem so not to be left out I thought I'd help the cause by introducing some more bajan slang. Yes the whole world soon will be speaking bajan when I take over the Universe (breaks into evil villain laugh, then starts choking and coughing.)

Ah em! Onto business.

John Legend has a popular song called Ordinary people which is about drama in the lives of the average man/woman I think. To tell you the truth I've never really listened to the words just the part of the chorus that says something about taking it slow.

Then a few weeks back (um June I think) when Common's album dropped and we were all discussing whether it was actually a classic or not I thought about his name Common and also for some reason linked it to John Legend's song ordinary people. Why? Well because these words Common and Ordinary have an alternative (from the mainstream) but similar definition in the local bajan vocabulary and I was thinking if either Common or John Legend were bajan Common wouldn't have that name and John Legend wouldn't have a song called Ordinary People. So let me school y'all on these words bajan style.

Now Common in the bajan venacular is used to represent someone acting vulgar or someone without class. (Actually I lied this definition is also in the regular English dictionary its just not widely used) I'm guessing its that strong bajan British link acting up again because we all know about Brits and their class issues and 'commoners' and their House of 'Commons' those not of noble birth I believe.

Anyhow let me give you an example of the word in use in bajan ' Wait! Dat is miss Browne daughter cross deyso? Wuhloss wha yesterday she was out hayso cussing and behaving suh common dat I had ta say ta myself she mek she mudda roll ova in she grave.'

Common in this sense being used to denote behavior not at all becoming of a proper young lady.

Common is also used alot with the word class; as in common class behavior, again not what one with any sort of proper upbringing or 'brouhtupsy' would indulge in. Or as some would say carrying on 'like a bank holiday beer'. Right bajan sistren?

Ordinary also bears the same treatment in Bajan. Ordinary can be used to describe again something not fitting in with a certain class, standing or bearing. Causing a scene by acting in a belligerent way to draw attention via your language or your actions can be denoted as behaving ordinary ...as opposed to acting extraordinary hmmm. Again seems to be an issue involving class structure (inherited from the Brits) as various forms of indecent actions can be described as ordinary behavior. Actions which would be deemed as shameful are seen as ordinary.

So that was a big long winded way to say that all in all common and ordinary mean about the same thing in the bajan venacular. So lets me give you an example of both words in use "I doan understand why dat common class fella cross deyso behaving so ordinary doah." See how both words fit hand in glove.

Ok so here is where I lost focus and the blog fell apart and I wont try to patch it up, I've gone on long enough so I'll just stop here and you can meditate on Common and Ordinary to go along with the other bajan words I've thought you; Ruff Dry, Obzocky and Backtofront. lol.

24 comments:

Abeni said...

common is used the same way in SVG but don't remember ordinary being used like that

bitchdoctrine said...

hahahahahaha... loved how you broke it down for us folk. I know some common ass people that always be acting "ordinary" all di time.

TEACH US MORE, I SAY!

Mad Bull said...

Yuh wrong, Jdid, yuh wrong! "Frame of mind" is normal english! Maybe not "American" english, but english nevertheless.Its in common use.... yeah, another use of common. The common you speak of is also common as you say, its in the dictionary and its used in that sense in Jamaica too.
Ordinary is also used that wasy as you say, but I think that this usage is more rare than in the case of common.
Bwoy, there is so much "common" in this comment that I hope people can follow what I am saying.

So, is what you up to over there in Foreign. You building up your army for the planned conquest or wha?
You are not the only one with plans of conquest, check out Claude Mills. Heh heeeeyyy, Cayman and Trinidad had better watch out!

Mad Bull said...

Bwoy, I posted a LONG comment here only to have the comment fenie nyam it up! Grrrr! Cho. I not typing it again, but just know that I was here, we use common the same way, but not usually ordinary and that Claude Mills has plans of conquest, just like you.

Mad Bull said...

Two times now the comment genie has struck! Have you blocked people putting a link in their comments? They were some long assed comments too! Grrrrr....

Luke Cage said...

Although I was not self-centered to think that I was the only one who had either unfinished blogs or posts that never made the light of day, you seen to have enough material for a separate blog altogether. I've even gone so far as to have a proofreader on a couple of my posts. Aesthetics and typos are very important to me.

You took me to school on the Common and Ordinary bajan linguistics thing there man. Maybe you're on to something there. EZ...

Scratchie said...

common and ordinary....I see......:)

Amadeo said...

Stretch out with your feelings...the force flows through your post.

Anonymous said...

Some West Indians use "ordinary" as a neutral adjective, but "extraordinary" as an insult or negative criticism. For example, "Her sister so nice & ordinary, but she haffe act so extra." ('Extra' means 'extraordinary' in that sense.) Based on your post, it sounds like 'extra' would be a compliment in Bajan slang. Interesting. Stay stress-free!!

Campfyah said...

You on point hey Jdid. Common class - ordinary all typical in the bajan vocabulary.

Campfyah said...

wait...wha is dis new blog owner approval thing yuh got hey bosie

chrome said...

not to far away from my everyday usage of the words. always sounds better when used in venacular. gotta visit barbados.

good looking out jdid

Rev Island said...

Yo Jdid, do you know what the spelling of "gaw blime" would be? I have heard it said many times and wondered how it would be spelt.

Anonymous said...

Re Rihanna: for real, Bajans don't deal with the callalloo thing too much -- maybe it's her Guyanese heritage showing there? There's a story in today's nation about how she's getting into acting; apparently she has a cameo in the third "Bring it On" movie.

nahmix said...

I miss waking up early on Saturday morning to soca music and the to the sound of the steele pan as mother cleaned.

Deelze said...

You are to much! Common, and Ordinary huh!?!? I love it! ~LOL~

~Smooches~

princessdominique said...

J--I love reading your posts. You're so detailed.

Inside Man said...

I'm still putting the puzzle together but I'm with you man.

Unknown said...

Teacher Jdid, like da one yah. All now common still ringing inna mi mind.

Rose said...

I love your blogs they are so detailed with information about things that I am interested in....Ordinary and common-that was what can I say interesting.....

DramaFree said...

lol Interesting lesson on the bajan vernacular. Now I will watch how I use common and ordinary...I don't want to offend anybody lol.

Anonymous said...

Sorry ah late to de party as usual. Nice Bajan lesson dey, I vote you do one a week, we could have Music Fridays and Bajan Wednesday...I gine even give yuh a word to start off: "Rangate"

Anonymous said...

wunnah lef muh in tears yuh !!!!!!!
nice tuh see some of muh fellow bajans LONG LIVE BIM !!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi there, my name is Claude Jdid and I'm looking for my family. Maybe you can help me. my email is episode@telenet.be
Thanks