Pigeon English

Pigeon English Glossary

adjei

An exclamation of annoyance or dismay

ampe

A Ghanaian children's game

asasabonsam

An Akan folkloric being, like a vampire

asweh

A shortening of "I swear"

bo-styles

Slang meaning "cool" or "awesome"

bogahs

Slang for a Ghanaian person living abroad

bulla

Slang for "penis"

cassava

A tuberous, starchy, edible root, also called "yuca"

chemshi

Galvanized steel roofing sheets

Chelsea

Harri's preferred soccer team

chooked

Stabbed

dey touch

Crazy, mad

donkey hours

Ghanaian slang meaning "a very long time"

fag (slang)

British English term for a cigarette

fronting

To disrespect someone, to "talk trash"

fufu

Pounded boiled yams

fuzzy-wuzzy (slur)

A racial slur used against people of African descent

hutious

Scary, frightening

numpty

British slang for a stupid person

obruni

Ghanaian term for a white person

palaver

Argument, trouble, difficulty, business

paradiddle

A drumroll

paroxysm

Explosion, attack

pesewa

A Ghanaian monetary unit

quid

A British pound, the base unit of currency

RE

An acronym for "religious education," a course UK primary school students take to learn about world religions

red-eyes

Term for being furious, envious, no-nonsense, or greedy

rendezvous

Appointment, date

rounders

An English bat and ball game, similar to baseball

slack

Slang for promiscuous

stifle

Choke, make sticky or muggy

stupefied

Numb, sedated

Supply Teacher

A substitute teacher

tenner

British slang for ten pounds (currency)

The Dell Farm Crew

The gang at Harri's school, headed by X-Fire. The crew is named after the Dell Farm estates, a social housing project where the boys live. The crew claims its own tables and seating at school and threatens other students.

timorous

Lacking courage, shy

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