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Taam Di Banaana-Man
Tom the banana seller
@taam di @banaana-man
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Georgette McGlashen
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Taam a kyari wahn baaskit a raip banaana.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
@taam a kjaɹi wã @baaskit a ɹaɪp banaːna
Taam go a maakit fi sel banaana.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
@taam @go a maːkit fi @sel banaːna
Piipl a maakit a bai fruut.
People at the market are buying fruit.
piːpl̩ a maːkit a baɪ fɹuːt
Bot nobadi naa bai Taam banaana dem. Dem prifa fi bai fruut fram di uman dem.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
bot @nobadi @naa baɪ @taam banaːna dem dem @prifa fi baɪ fɹuːt @fram di uman dem
“Ina fiwi komyuuniti, onggl uman sel fruut,” piipl se. “Wa kaina man dis?” piipl aks.
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
ina @fiwi @komyuuniti oŋgl̩ uman @sel fɹuːt piːpl̩ se wa @kaina man dis piːpl̩ @aks
Bot Taam no gi op. Im kaal out, “Bai mi swiit raip banaana dem!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
bot @taam @no @gi op im kaːl @out baɪ mi swiːt ɹaɪp banaːna dem
Wahn uman pik op a bonch a banaana fram outa di baaskit. Shi luk pan it gud-gud.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
wã uman @pik op a @bonch a banaːna @fram @outa di @baaskit @shi luk @pan it @gud-gud
Di uman bai di banaana dem.
The woman buys the bananas.
di uman baɪ di banaːna dem
Muor piipl kom a di staal. Dem bai Taam banaana dem an nyam dem.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
muɔɹ piːpl̩ kom a di @staal dem baɪ @taam banaːna dem an ɲam dem
Suuhn, di baaskit emti. Taam kount op di moni we im mek.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
@suuhn di @baaskit @empti @taam @kount op di moni @we im mek
Den Taam go bai suop, shuga an bred. Im put di tingz dem ina im baaskit.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
@den @taam @go baɪ suɔp ʃuga an bɹed im @put di tiŋz dem ina im @baaskit
Taam balans di baaskit pan im ed an go a im yaad.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
@taam @balans di @baaskit @pan im @ed an @go a im jaːd
Written by: Humphreys Odunga
Illustrated by: Zablon Alex Nguku
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 2
