Frenin
One of my favourite words these days is “frenin”. Doh play allyuh doh know the word. Let me use it in a sentence: She dey frenin with de teacher fella. Ahhhh, now yuh know it. In my opinion, there are few words in the Trinidad vernacular that imply as much scandal as that word. Frenin.
Of course the words comes from it’s more famous cousin “friend”. The fact that “friend” is a noun and “frenin” seems to be a verb that doesn’t exist doesn’t matter. Everyone in Trinidad knows it as a word. It’s used to describe a relationship that’s scandalous or illcit and it’s said with the maximum amount of venom.
This is kinda funny because it seems so polite yet it’s such an adult word. I still wouldn’t use it in front of my mother.
Well this is my favourite Trini word these days. What’s yours?
13 Responses to “Frenin”
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
LOL! You know how long I eh hear that word. And it’s so true. My favourite Trini word… hmmm. Ah could get back to you on that one? I still eating breakfast and I still eh altogether there.
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
Is not a word, is a expression. Dai eh nuttin! Dat could work?
By Mani on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
LOL. That is perfectly fine. One of my other favourite words is cunumunu - the stupid person. I just love the repitition of that one vowel sound. it just screams stupidity. Love it.
I’m sure I have favourite phrases also, but I just can’t think of any right now. If I do come up with one, I’ll post it.
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
chuff chuff. Meaning fat. Calpet. Tanana. Tootoolbey
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
sorry. tantana
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
I see Uncle Patos outdid himself last week. I see he channeling teh spirit of Neptune - he going and organise the fish for Barbados? Or maybe I’m wrong, maybe is Jesus he emulating. Wait. That was fry fish. Okay.
By lime on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
oooh you just taught me a new one! how do i begin to pick a favorite….hhhmm…
choonkooloonks is a fun one. makes me think of the fat baby cheeks you wanna pinch on your sweet lil choonksy baby.
By Mani on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
Tantana,lol, that’s a good one and so is tootoolbey.
Yeah choonkooloonks is also a good one. It’s such mouthful.
Another favourite one of mine is jagabat. There again is that repitition of the vowel sound. It’s one of my favourite words to enunciate (but certainly not in front or my mother.
By Mani on Sep 11, 2006 | Reply
Patos frenin with Barbados, Hottie?
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 12, 2006 | Reply
LOL!!!! Lewwe hope he eh turning into a political Jagabat. Lemme go and ask meh Macomere about it.
By Mani on Sep 12, 2006 | Reply
Gyul, ah hope so, lol.
By Bubbly on Sep 30, 2006 | Reply
Allyuh have talent boy…..these things does jess crack me up! Yuh know how long me eh hear somebody talk bout “frenin”? I like “faalin” like when somebody forcing dey friendship! Dem kinda ppl does get to me yuh hear! Hottie wha is tootoolbey? I lost on that one. And ah going and bring back jagabat! Watch meh! I always going and “macow ah scene” but when ah say that here nobody does understand what that mean. Oh well…..me eh care! LOL!
By Mani on Oct 1, 2006 | Reply
Bubly, I just love that word frenin. And faalin is another schoolyard classic. Did you know that the word “fal” actually meant “fighting a lime”?
I believe the word tootoolbey means love sick, though I may be wrong. Hottie could answer that better than me.