Page:Claude McKay Constab Ballads.djvu/86

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barn : born. “From A barn” = since I was born; in all my life.

bat’ : bath.

bate : rest.

’batin’ : abating.

batter : toil and moil.

beas’ : beast; i.e., horse, mule, or donkey.

beat de eight : do eight hours beat-duty.

becausen : because.

bedouten : without.

behin’ : behind.

be’n : was, were; e.g., “be’n deh fret” = were fretting.

bex’ : vexed.

big-tree. A certain big tree in Kingston is the resort of idlers and vicious characters.

bluff : big.

bluff : insult.

boun’ : bound; bind, oblige; are bound.

’bout, ’bouten : about.

brukfus’ : breakfast,—the midday meal.

bud : bird.

bulldog boots : rope-soled slippers.

bumming : cadging, begging for gifts. The u has the value of the oo in book.

bungo : black African.

caan’ : can’t. A y is often slipped in after the c. Pronounce kahn or kyahn.

car’ : carry.

’causen : because.

’cep’ : except.

chat, all deh : all are saying (how bad the policemen are),

chicaney : tricky.