labrish

English

Etymology

From Jamaican Creole labrish.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlæ.bɹɪʃ/

Adjective

labrish (comparative more labrish, superlative most labrish)

1. (Jamaica, dialect) Talkative, gossipy.

Noun

labrish (uncountable)

1. (Jamaica, dialect) Gossip, rumor, chatty speaking.
   • 2008 January 27, Beth Feinstein-Bartl, “A Tribute to 'Miss Lou' at Library”, in Miami Herald, retrieved 24 July 2011:

     Jeanne Powell will tell stories using labrish a traditional Jamaican form of chitchat.

Verb

labrish (third-person singular simple present labrishes, present participle labrishing, simple past and past participle labrished)

1. (Jamaica, dialect) To gossip or talk excessively.
   • 2011 July 8, Errol W.A. Townshend, “Letters: Callous sacking of 'Aunty Dor'”, in Jamaica Gleaner, retrieved 24 July 2011:

     Out there are legions of women who don't own computers or want one. . . . What they do is labrish endlessly on their cellphones and vote.

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, additions series 1997, online ed. (June, 2011)

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Probably from English blabber + -ish.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlabɹɪʃ/
• Hyphenation: lab‧rish

Noun

labrish

1. gossip, gossiping, idle talk

   Synonym: suss

   But yuh dun kno sey di real peeple dem wahn know di laytis mix-up, 'cause a suh Jamdung run fram lang time, likkle labrish naw kill nuh baddy.

   But you already know that real folks want to know the latest gossip. Because that's how Jamaica's always been. A little gossip never killed anybody.

Verb

labrish

1. gossip

   Den shi guh pon har phone an a labrish an a buss big laugh wid har fren dem.

   Then she went on her phone and started gossiping with her friends, laughing out loud (from time to time) as she did.

Further reading

• Richard Allsopp, editor (1996), Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 336