gunman
The Jamaican word for gangster is gunman.
The term gunman refers to a member of a street gang. Other terms may be used depending on the specific persona being described: Badman refers to a gangster or a tough individual, while the slang term Top Shotta describes a tough individual or gangster.
Meaning: street gang member (noun)
When do people say it?
The phrase Weh yuh seh? Man a bad man translates to 'What are you saying? I am a gangster'.
Did you know?
- In Jamaican Patois, the word 'man' is often used as a pronoun for 'I' or 'me', which is why a person might say Man a bad man to mean 'I am a gangster'.
- While gunman describes the role, the term don is used to describe the political and social leader of a community who often controls the local gangsters.
- The term Badman can sometimes be used with a sense of respect in certain subcultures, even if the person is not a literal 'bad' person in the moral sense.
Examples in context
- Yuh affi careful, deh's a badman deh 'round di corna!Be careful, there's a gangster lurking around the corner!
- Dem seh him a di most dangerous top shotta inna di yawd.They say he's the most dangerous gangster in town.
- di gunman deh pon di street.The gunman is on the street.
- dem naw play wid di gunman.They are not playing with the gunman.
- di gunman a run di area.The gunman runs the area.
Example conversation
Ricardo and Shanice are talking at a bus stop.
- RicardoShanice, yuh see di gunman over deh?Shanice, did you see the gunman over there?
- ShaniceYeah, Ricardo, mi see him.Yeah, Ricardo, I see him.
- RicardoHim look real dangerous.He looks really dangerous.
- ShaniceMi prefer stay far from dat.I prefer to stay far from that.
