Understanding local dialects can help english-speaking travelers feel right at home when communicating with those locals who speak in dialect.

The tropical island of Anguilla is an English speaking country, but the local dialect of English can be puzzling
for english-speaking travelers.

Today most natives in Anguilla speak a British-influenced variety of “Standard” English. Other languages that are also spoken on the island, including varieties of Spanish, Chinese and the languages of other immigrants.

However, the most common language other than the Standard English is the island’s own English-lexifier Creole language (not to be confused with French Creole spoken in islands such as Haiti and St. Lucia).

It is referred to locally by the terms such as “dialect” (pronounced “dialec”), or “Anguillian”. It has its main
roots in early varieties of English and West African languages, and is similar to the dialects spoken in
English-speaking islands throughout the Eastern Caribbean.

Here are some of Anguilla dialect, phrases, meanings available below:

Vexed {Angry}

Below {To the West}

Scamp {Untrustworthy}

Wicked {Mischevious}

Bush tea {Herb tea}

Talking to {Romancing}

Disgustin {Disgusting}

To flit {To spray the bugs}

Ground {Planted fields or gardens}

Hard {Outspoken, blunt, frank, obnoxious}

Break bush {Cut greenery for the goats to eat}

Belonghee. Aubergine, eggplant {The small round variety is delicious}

Tree {Any plant that is cultivated as opposed to wild, including the “tomato tree”, the “corn tree”, and the
“pumpkin tree”.}

Pumpkin {Any orange vegetable including various species of squash}

Catch {Obtain sample or take a cutting, as in “catch me some of that tree.”}

Whis {A stringy plant that grows around other plants}

Stink Weed {A plant that grows all over Anguilla and has a pod that can be roasted and ground to make “coffee”.}

Take out {Turn off, as in “take out your lights” when you left your car lights on}

Lock off {Turn off, as in “lock off your stove”}

Carry me {Take me in a vehicle}

Finish {Nothing available anymore, all gone}

Go to come back {I leave now but I’ll be coming back}

Come {Please come here. Usually said to children}

Reach {Attain a certain quantity, as in “I reach fourteen” in answer to “How old are you?”}

Gale {Hurricane}

Bat { Any soft thing with wings that flies at night, including moths, from tiny to giant, and bats, but not birds or mosquitos}

Coal Keel {Kiln for making charcoal, formed by putting dirt over a pile of wood, with air holes created by pipes, then lighting it on fire from the top and letting it burn for a week or two}

Current {Power, energy, the stuff you buy from Anglec}

Me/You one alone {“By myself” or “By yourself.”}