Abstract
An offshoot of Caribbean Creole English, Panamanian Creole English has been the source of loanwords referring to culinary delicacies of West Indian origin in the officially Spanish-speaking Republic of Panama, whose main language has, in turn, influenced the Creole, though not only with words describing edibles. Most of the Creole English words seemed marginal before the middle of the twentieth century, but, by its end, had integrated Panamanian Spanish, along with lexical items from other languages, of which culinary forms are presented here side by side with patrimonial Spanish foodstuff terms of use in Panama.
Highlights
Panamanian Spanish loanwords in PCEThomas-Brereton, in her 1993 edition of a Dictionary of Panamanian English, mentions a number of Hispanisms current in PCE (see the ‘Appendix’)
The names of foodstuff incorporated from the English-speaking Caribbean into the general Panamanian urban diet tell of one of the traits of this Central American culture
As Rodrigo Miró, the foundational Panamanian historian and cultural observer, once established, it declares “síntesis e integración, los modos de Panamá”. It would seem as if new elements are frequently admitted to the melting pot, making Panamanian culture a unique mix
Summary
Thomas-Brereton, in her 1993 edition of a Dictionary of Panamanian English, mentions a number of Hispanisms current in PCE (see the ‘Appendix’). Those appearing in her dictionary are borrowings “deemed necessary for communication in the Creole” Must be boiled to be eaten’; rapaduuro ‘cake of hardened cane sugar wrapped in banana leaves. Used for sweetening drinks’; raspao ‘syrup over a cone of shaved ice sometimes served with honey and condensed milk topping’; rekao berde ‘fresh herbs and vegetables used for seasoning foods’; skabiish ‘pickled fish’; tamal(es) ‘steamed ground corn, stuffed with chicken or pork and wrapped in banana leaves’;5 tortilla ‘deep-fried ground corn patties’; yuuká ‘Cassava root’
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