Definition: used as a verb, refers to the 1985-92 TV series starring Richard Dean Anderson as a resourceful, tinkering secret agent. Used to mean "jury rig," use engenuity to solve a technical problem. ("You gonna Macgyver dat?")
Posted by: Mitch, 2009.

Definition: (pronounced mahSHET), large hand-held blade used for cutting grass.
Posted by: doctropic, 2009.

Definition: "Thicket. Bush. Estate Profit on St. Croix, which was parcelled out and resettled mostly by Puerto Ricans, was quickly redubbed 'Machuchal,' and so it remains to this day."
Source: Page 74, Valls, Lito. What a Pistarckle! A Dictionary of Virgin Islands English Creole, St. John, USVI. 1981.

Definition: wild, crazy ("On deh plane, turbulance was mad sick!")
Source: Page 84, Sterns, Robin. Say it in Crucian! A Complete Guide to Today's Crucian for Speakers of Standard English. St. Croix: Antilles Press, 2008.

Definition: pronunciation for "morning" ("Good mahnin!" "We stay fo deh whole show and end up leaving deh musi 7 o’ clock in deh marning.")
Alternative spellings: maning, marnin
Source: Page 84, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: "noun; cockroach. It have a joke goin' roun' dat de mahogany bird is de national bird of de V.I."
Source: Page 77, Roy, John D. A Brief Description and Dictionary of the Language Used in the Virgin Islands. St. Thomas, USVI, 1975.

Definition: extremely skinny, starving, meager.
Example: (proverb) "When yoh sorry foh magga hog, e tu'n 'round root yoh door" = Kindness does not necessarily bring kindness in return.
Alternative spellings: mahgah, meagah
Source: Pages 60, 84, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: (spelled "mager"), "Thin. Emaciated. Pronounced MAGAH. Danish, "mager" = Thin, gaunt. English, "Meager" = Thin, lean. French, "Maigre" = Thin."
Source: Page 74, What a Pistarkle!
Definition: (Spelled "maaga). "adjective; having little flesh, thin. Chil', wha' happen to yo, yo look so maaga'. Yo sick?"
Source: Page 77, A Brief Description and Dictionary of the Language Used in the Virgin Islands.
Definition: "one would expect that the Cruzan word for 'mauger,' meaning thin, is derived from the Dutch word for the same, 'mager,' rather than the English word 'meager.' In this case, the first connection seems most reliable also because of the greater degree of similarity between the definitions of the words."
Source: Derivations of the Cruzan Dialect: With Concentration on Specific Words, 1975(?), on reserve, University of the Virgin Islands libraries.

Definition: used where a Standard English speaker would use "turn" or "turned," referring to a birthday ("she make six," meaning "she turned six years old.")
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: "adjective; inquisitive, fresh. She too make has'e; das why she always in t'ing."
Source: Page 77, A Brief Description and Dictionary of the Language Used in the Virgin Islands.

Definition: female Puerto Rican.
Example: "Youza mama?"
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: "Name given to female Puerto Ricans by native Crucians. Accent on the last syllable. See: PAPA. [non-pejorative.]"
Source: Page 75, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: to fool, trick or deceive.
Example: "I could try mamaguy my boyfriend for some money to go shopping."
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: from Trinidad, to mean "to play for a fool."
Source: Williams, Marvin E. Dialogue at the Hearth. St. Croix: Antilles Press, 1993.

Definition: (pronounced MOMpee) - "no see'ums," the seemingly invisible biting insects that emerge at sunset ("Mampis tearing me up, mehson!")
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: (Spelled "mampee"). "Sandfly. (Culicoides furens.) Also called Meemee or No-see-ums. In P.R. 'mime' also 'maje' which is an Indian word. 'Poiki' in Trinidad. [Piojo is a louse in Spanish.]"
Source: Page 75, What a Pistarckle!
Definition: "noun; sandfly. Man, dem mampi bitin' bad down de bay."
Source: Page 77, A Brief Description and Dictionary of the Language Used in the Virgin Islands.
Also: pum pum fly, sand fly, sand flea.

Definition: A man is smarter than a monkey.
Source: Ronnie Lockhart, on Facebook, 2009.

Definition: "Like this Ashanti proverb: The hen knows when it's daybreak, but allows the rooster to make the announcement.".
Source: Ronnie Lockhart, on Facebook, 2009.

Definition: "A tree (Cordita nitida) native to the islands and used for fence posts and tool handles. The fruit is fed to hogs. Also called Wild Capa or West Indian Cherry. 'Palo de muneca' in P.R. Originally named and described from St. Croix in 1793. Manjack is co-called because it exudes a whitish mucilaginous substance looking like semen."
Source: Page 76, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "A word derived from the Spanish cimarron, applied to African slaves who had run away and were living free in some wild place. As some of the earliest African slaves brought to the New World managed to escape, Maroons were to be found all around the Caribbean from the 16th century onward."
Source: Dyde, Brian. Caribbean Companion: The A to Z Reference. London: The Macmillian Press, 1992.
Definition: On St. Croix, escaped slaves were thought to head for the rugged northwest corner of the island, where they leaped into the sea rather than be recaptured. The area, roughly between Annaly Bay and Ham's Bluff, was called Maroon Ridge or Maroon Mountain.
Sources: For information on St. Croix's maroons, see Norton, Holly K. and Christopher T. Espensdade, "The Challenge in Locating Maroon Refuge Sites at Maroon Ridge, St. Croix." Journal of Caribbean Archeology, 2007. Available here. See also a March 18, 2010, WTJX feature on the reputed maroon caves of St. Croix, here.

Definition: huge, magnificent.
Example: "Carnival in Cruz is mas!"
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: "To masquerade. From Trinidad, where Carnival was once so called."
Source: Page 78, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: idiomatic expression, to set someone straight, put them down ("Ayo don wan to know whose corn I mash today!")
Source: Page 57, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: "Automatic transmission car."
Source: Page 78, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: (1) wreck, ruin, tear up ("Sharri mash up she new car", "We go mash up de dance flah.") or (2) from music, a combination of different things ("She duh speak a mashup ah Crucian and Spanglish.")
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: "1. Break up of a marriage, friendship, etc. 2. Destroy. Injure. 3. Feel ill. 4. Smashing. 'De dance gon' be a mash-up.' It's going to be a smashhing dance."
Source: Page 78, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: a clique, i.e. Crucian Massive, Central High Massive, North Side Massive.
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Example: "R3PR3S3NTING THE V.I. W3ST SID3 GROV3 PLACE MASSIV3."
Source: Kennisha, on Facebook, 2009.
Example: Round de Valley Massive, Thomas ville Massive
Source: Seen on Facebook, 2010.

Definition: "A drink made from 'mauby' bark (Colubrina reclinata), sugar, anise, orange-peel, sweet marjoram, vanilla essence and other herbs. It is bitter-sweet, has a frothy head like beer, and is very refreshing. The leaves are used for preparation of stomachic drinks. 'Mabi' in P.R. The word seems to be of Carib Indian origin."
Source: Page 78, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "A soup of heavy consistency prepared with pork, beef, fish, onions, thyme, whole tomatoes and other seasonings, cooked and thickened with cornmeal and served with a ball of fungee."
Source: Page 79, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "me ain't" run together, for "I don't."
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: (meAYno) Crucian for "I don’t know."
Alternative spellings: meaino, meeno, meh no
More alternative spellings: mehnano, mehno
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Added to by: Yáminah89, 2009.
Definition: (Spelled "mee'n no"). "I don't know. Also said 'Me noh no.'"
Source: Page 36, New Supplement: What a Pistarckle! 

Definition: pronunciation for "me" or "my."
Example: "Meh cousin Eric call meh up on meh cell phone tellin meh to com to dis bangin house paty."
Source: Pages 61, 85, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: Something was pretty darn funny.
Posted by: RobL, 2010.

Definition: commonly used expression to mean, "I'm upset/annoyed!"
Source: Page 19, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: (1) used where a Standard English speaker would use a phrase indicating "conditions I encountered upon my arrival."
Example: "Guess what I met at Kentucky? Chicken finish!"
Posted by: doctropic, 2009.
Definition: (2) "Used to designate time and place. 'Twelve o'clock meet he home.' 'De rain meet me King Hill.' 'Go down de road to yoh right and yoh will meet de Post Office.'"
Source: Page 79, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "my."
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: pronunciation for "make/making."
Example: "Wha mek you don't stop lie?" = "Why don't you stop lying?" (used the way a Statesider would use, "Oh, cut it out!")
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: ("mek") "Preferred pronunciation for make."
Source: Page 79, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: Haste makes waste.
Source: Ronnie Lockhart, on Facebook, 2009.

Definition: Gossip, scandal, crazy situation.
Example: "Gyul, you ain hear the melee that happen to me yesterday!"
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Example: "Anti man does pung de most mellee'!"
Source: Eboni, on Facebook, 2006.
Definition: "1. Gossip. Noun and verb. 'Wha's de melee in tong?' What's the town gossip? 'She does melee toh much.' She gossips too much. 'Chisme' in P.R. 2. Fracas. Disturbance. 'It had a real melee on de wharf.' There was a noisy disturbance at the wharf. Pron. me-LEH."
Source: Page 80, What a Pistarckle!
Definition: "One word whose origin seems most obvious is mele, or melee, meaning gossip. This is generally used in the phrase 'Do you have any mele for me?', and almost certainly comes from the French word 'melee, meaning mixed or miscellaneous. Here the exact meaning of the word has been altered from a general meaning to a specific one, from miscellaneous to miscellaneous tidbits of information."
Source: Derivations of the Cruzan Dialect: With Concentration on Specific Words, 1975(?), on reserve, University of the Virgin Islands libraries.
Alternative spellings: mih-lay

Definition: pronunciation of "remember" ("Yoh memba she man, right?")
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: A way of saying "lying" or "joker."
Source: You Know U From The Virgin Islands When U Speak This Language..., on Facebook, 2010.

Definition: literally "my son," used like "dude" or "oh, man!" might be used in the States, but does not refer exclusively to males or children. A ubiquitous interjection.
Examples: "I late mehson" = "I'm late," "Mehson?" = "Tell me about it/no kidding!"
Source: Page 85, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: (Spelled "me son"). "A nominitive address used without regard to age or sex, but never to one's betters or elders. Also Me boy."
Source: Page 80, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "being nosy. "Ay deh mahn, u too metteh meh son."
Source: Mercedes, on Facebook, 2006.
Definition: (Spelled "mette"). "Inquisitive, meddlesome, obtrusive, interfering, busy body, nosy. From Spanish 'Entrometido,' 'metido,' 'metio' = nosy. In P.R. diction 'Aprontao' = forward. 'De lil boy foh Prentice toh toh mette.' Prentice's boy is too nosy. Pron. Meh-TEH."
Source: Page 80, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "mine" (possessive).
Example: "Wi yo mean tiz mine-own?"
Posted by: Natalie, 2009.
Definition: (Spelled "mines own"). "Mine. Also said Mines. 'Da beel is mines own.' That car is mine."
Source: Page 81, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: used when a Standard English speaker would use "mine."
Examples: "Da cyar ova deh gon be mines." "Da one de is mines."
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!
Added to by: Natalie, 2009.

Definition: slang for "fine," first rate."
Example: "We all know u from the VI wen u gah look mint just to go down the road...lol!"
Source: Caprice, on Facebook, 2009.

Definition: "A form of address preceding a given female name. Used as a term of respect to married or unmarried women. Thus, it is 'Miss Christalia,' not 'Miss Jones.'"
Source: Page 81, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "1. Cactus. Prickly pear (Opuntia dilenii). 2. A fruit drink made from the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. It is flavored with rum and sugar and various spices. The bottle is buried and left to 'cure.'"
Source: Page 81, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "Form of address. A favorite redundancy of many new down islanders."
Source: Page 81, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: (MOCKoh JOOMbee), a popular Carnival figure, a masked, costumed person on stilts who scares away evil spirits.
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!
Definition: "A male stilt masquerader traditionally dressed in female attire. From Fula (Sudanese), 'Moco' = a medicine man....One of the most celebrated moko jumbees was "Magnus" (John Magnus Farrell) of St. Croix, who first appeared in 1929."
Source: Pages 81-82, What a Pistarkle!

Definition: proverb, to mean every person knows who to mess with and who to leave alone.
Source: Page 59, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: "A tree (Hura crepitans) so called because the trunk and branches have large protruding thorns. Also called Monkey Pistol because the pods when expanded in heat, pop like a gun. 'Molinillo' in P.R."
Source: Page 82, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: "Tree or cactus-like shrub (Euphorbia lactea). Planted in hedges or for ornament. Gives off poisonous white latex. 'Candelera' in P.R."
Source: Page 82, What a Pistarckle!

Definition: a fool, as in "das a moomoo."
Source:I Love my Virgin Islands Accent, on Facebook, 2010.

Definition: Traditionally used on Saturday to "pung" (pound) spices for the upcoming week. See "adobo" and "pung seasoning."
Example: "Saturday mornings was spent making pung seasoning with da mortar and pestel."
Source: I Love My Virgin Islands Accent, on Facebook, 2010.

Definition: (rhymes with "about"), pronunciation for "mouth."
Posted by: doctropic, 2009.Page 59

Definition: idiomatic expression to mean someone who never stops talking/whose mouth never gets a rest. Can also suggest that the person uses foul language (not appropriate for church on Sunday).
Suggested by: a caller to the Roger W. Morgan radio show, 11/25/08. Added to by Shawna, 2008.
Definition: "'e mout don' know no Sunday.' He's too talkative; his mouth knows not a day of rest."
Source: Page 4, What a Pistarkle!
Alternative: "Your mouth ain't gah no Sunday."
Source: I Love My Virgin Islands Accent, on Facebook, 2010.

Definition: Proverb. "An admonition to hold one's tongue. To be quiet."
Source: Page 128, What a Pistarkle!

Definition: often used when Standard English would call for "many."
Example: "How much papah dem dis English class require?"
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: pronunciation for "mother" ("Weh yoh muddah deh?" = "Where's your mother?")
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: "motherland," usually refers to Africa.
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: if you work this out phonetically, it is literally "mother's cunt," obviously an extremely rude, crass term, and it is often used exactly that way, the way Statesiders might use "motherfucker." If you use it, be sure you pronounce it correctly, (muddah-SKUNT), which like "rass" and "strupid" softens the effect slightly ("Geh yo muddaskunt!").
See also: "skunt", "yo muddah"
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!
Example: "u kno u is a true virgin islander cause When you vex, u does chuuups and cut eye. as well as When you cussin' somebody you tell dem bout dey MUDDASCUNT!!!"
Source: Chardonnay, on Facebook, 2009.
Example: "scattah yo' modah skunt."
Source: Julie, on Facebook, 2006.
Example: "Sereas i ting deez modaskunts fuckin retadded."
Source: Anetra, on Facebook, 2007..
Example: "Geh yo muddascunt!"."
Source: You Know U From The Virgin Islands When U Speak This Language..., on Facebook, 2010.
Example: Group formed on Facebook in April, 2010, "YO NEWSY MOTHERSCUNT ONLY ADD ME TO LOOK MELEE": "if yo have people on yo friends list that does be going trough yo entire facebook wall, looking through yo pictures to see who you married to, who yo dating, how much kids yo have, where yo live, etc.....This is the place to be."

Definition: a difficult situation ("Afta she fadda had die, it was like murderation cuz she was so hurt, ya check?")
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!

Definition: "must be/must have been" ("You mussee crazy!", "We end up leaving musi 7 o’clock in deh mahning.")
Alternative spellings: musee, musi
Source: Page 86, Say it in Crucian!
Example: "u musee wahn gyeh box dung ya todeh."
Source: Robert, on Facebook, 2010.

Definition: See "peace."

Definition: blank
Example: blank
Source: blank
Alternative spellings: blank
Tags: blank