yard

English Definition

Home, Jamaica, or one's community.

Patois Definition

Mi miss di yard bad when mi a foreign.

Etymology

• (From English yard.)

Cultural Context

'Yard' as Jamaica itself is diaspora shorthand. Dancehall artists frequently reference 'yard' vs 'foreign' in lyrics about identity.

Examples

• "Mi miss di yard bad when mi a foreign."

  Y'all love spending time in other people's homes too much.

• "Unnu love people yard too much."

  There's no place like home.

• "Nuh weh nuh nice like yard."

  You say use a condom and they say, "I'm not going to use a condom. My wife's at home and my wife and I are both clean."

• "“You say use a condom and dem say, "Mi naah use condom, mi have mi wife a mi yard and mi wife clean and me clean."”"

  No place else is better than Jamaica.

• "No weh nuh better than Yard."

  Undeterred, D. repeated: "Consultant, that's someone who advises people, helps them with their work, isn't that so?" He didn't wait for confirmation." So really, the only thing you can advise them about is us -- people from Jamaica. It was indisputable logic. […]

• "“Undeterred, D. repeated: "Consultant, dat is someone who advise people, help dem ina dem work, nuh true?" He didn't wait for confirmation." So really, is only 'bout we as Yard man yuh can advise dem." It was indisputable logic.” […]"