Gullah Tours – Charleston, SC – Abridged Gullah Dictionary
A Glossary of Gullah Words
taken from
The Black Border
by Ambrose E. Gonzales
A |
"#B">B |C |D |
E |F |
"#G">G |H | I
|J |K |
"#L">L | M |N
|O |P |
"#Q">Q |R |S
|T | U |V |
"#W">W |X | Y |
"#Z">Z
message, especially for one requiring an answer;
as:
“Uh sen’ uh ansuh to de gal fuh tell’um uh wan’
hab’um fuh wife”
I sent a message to the girl to tell her that I
wanted to marry her
stripes above the hem, of the time of Queen
Victoria and named for her castle at Balmoral
was a boy
redundantly; as: “Da’ gal him blan blonx to my
Maussuh”That girl she belonged to belong, or used
to belong, to my Master
worries, worried, worrying
it, them
man’@a brokenlegged man
bruk’up
tobacco
as for feminine affiliations
contradicting
teeth, meaning opened her or his mouth to speak;
as: ‘E yent crack ‘e teet
burden
tidal creeks
dem,” meaning Sancho and his companions
emphasis
disappointing, disappointment, disappointments
account
etc.
rice or separating the corn husks from grist after
grinding.
“Da’ buckruh’ hogmeat flabuh me mout’ ‘tell uh done
fuhgit uh hab sin fuhkill’um”That white man’s pork
flavored my mouth so that I forgot the sin I
committed in killing the hog.
night”a dance was to have been had at the depot
last night.
wrath
etc.
addressing women
seized
relationships of “grand”
whether related or not
with bacon
never opened her mouth
area
down by storm
outcry
marrying
objecting
“‘E ketch ‘e tex f’um de fus’ chaptuh een
Nickuhdemus.”He took his text from the first
chapter of Nicodemus Also for reach, reached; as:
“Time uh ketch de ribbuh bank, de dog done gone”
shoemaker’s last
“lef’ ban’ feet”left foot or left leg
rapidly
pushing out of the lips of an angry or discontented
Negro
sometimes used for the singular; as,”Gimme uh
matches”give me a match
person spoken to or of, as “Maum Kate”
it, them
remind, etc
etc
“renoint”)
epetition for emphasis
NYUZE (v) used, using
overthrown
marital separation
whites, or those not of the “quality”
questions, questioned
in mind
Negro woman of a certain age, not a ‘flapper
irritability
frenzied outcries of a religious devotee A
plantation dancing festival, frequently accompanied
by beating sticks on the floor
‘Piskubble preechuh pit on ‘e shroud”
court I
suspects, suspected, suspecting
almost all meanings of “specifications”proving
inadequate, not coming up to expectations, etc.
specifically; as: “Tell’um ‘sponsubble fuh do da’
t’ing”
with
“quizzit,” which see
looked, looking
etc.
suitable, as: “uh stylish grabe, ” being a grave
ornately decorated with broken china or glass
frequently indulged in by the fair sex
divorce, divorcing, etc.
and its declining: “sunlean fuh down”
juicy roast: “Da’ meat hab supshun een’um”that meat
has much nourishment
it, them
importance or authority
accountable
arraign, arraigned, etc.
out, etc
telegram, telegrams
interrogating; question, questioned, etc.
feet or 105 feet square
meaning something appetizing to eat
themselves
took his or her foot or their feet in his, her, or
their hand or handsmeaning hastened, hurried,
speeded up
intends, etc.
as: “T’engk Gawd, ‘e lef’ uh leetle tetch een de
bottle”
them
stealing “T’ief iz bad, but t’ief en’ ketch iz de
debble”It is bad to steal, but to steal and be
caught is worse
or mouths; meaning held his, her, or their speech
straightening “‘Traight’n fuh” straighten for, to
hurry or extend oneself for a certain point
threshed, etc.
“‘tringbean”string or snapbeans
same as Italian polenta
month
contradictory talk
disparaging characterization Wuz was
preceded by a soft vowel sound
vowel sound ” ‘E yeye red”his or her eyes are
bloodshot with anger
soft vowel sound
questioned, etc.
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