What's Up: Vocabulary for Those New to America

By Jimmy Gyasi Boateng

My idea for this book and its intended audience is the awareness and use of expressions by typical Americans. In my country, we call these expressions slangs. Although some people might have attended higher institutions in their native countries, when they came to America they were baffl ed or confused by these slangs. Most of my friends who went to college before coming to America also have problems because they dont let go of their accent and their English. Even though I came from a country whose offi cial language is English, (were colonized by the British), I had a very hard time understanding the Americans use of slang. Statements like, Are you nuts? meant a whole different thing to me until after I had been here a while, then I began to decipher the subtle meanings of these slang expressions and American dialect.

I began to compile foreign expressions and put them in book form so that people who are new to this country might appreciate and understand what these expressions mean. It is my hope that both Americans and new immigrants will be helped by this small book by learning these expressions and using them when appropriate and knowing when not to use expressions that may rub people in America the wrong way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 10, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450253147

Book preview

Contents

Preface

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

About the Author

Introduction

Chapter One:

Greetings and Partings

Chapter Two: Translation of

American Expressions

Closing Comments

Preface

The idea behind this book is to make the reader aware of slang expressions used by typical Americans. Although some people might have attended institutions of higher education in their native countries, when they come to America, often they are baffled or confused by American slang, whether consciously or unconsciously. Most of my friends who went to college before coming to America also have problems because they don’t let go of their understanding of the local American lingo.

Even though I came from a country—Ghana—whose official language is English, (we were colonized by the British), I had a very hard time understanding the Americans’ use of the informal English language. Statements like, Are you nuts? meant a whole different thing to me until after I had been here for a while and then I began to decipher what the subtle meanings of these slang expressions are when it comes to the American dialect.

I began to compile these American expressions and put them together in book form so that people who are new to this country might appreciate and understand what they mean. It is my hope that this small book will help both Americans and new immigrants alike, basically by learning these expressions, using them when appropriate, and knowing when not to use expressions that may rub people in America the wrong way.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to God for giving me the wisdom, motivation, and strength to write this book. I also want to thank the workers of Microfibers Inc. in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with whom I have worked for twenty-five years. There is also a debt of gratitude owed to my colleagues at Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots (one of the best franchises in the National Football League) with whom I have also worked.

There are some friends who deserve mention, especially Doumato Doumato; Mr. Raul Gonzalez, CEO of Millenium Enterprise of Rhode Island, U.S.A.; Mr. K. Gyasi of Royalboat Enterprise of Ghana; Mr. Kwamina Mends; Lawrence Boateng who lives in England; the entire Yokoman Abusua; and the Bonwire Kente family, who raised me.

I also want to thank Mr. John Osei and family; Mr. Seth Asiamah and family; Mr. Alex Odonkor; Abusua Panin Nana Owusua of Canada; Busy Bee of Pawtucket, my typist; Mr. and Mrs. Martin Kofi Bannerman; my wife, Abena Agyeiwaa; and my children Akosua Boatemaa, Gloria Boateng, and Erica Gyasi Prempeh.

Others who deserve my gratitude include Mr. Alex Danso and family; Mr. and Mrs. Opoku Mensah; Mr. and Mrs. Olu Adenegan; Nana Kwakye Amoah; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Safo; Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Ababio; as well as Deacon Ralph Simmons of Pond Street Baptist Church; Sister June McRae; and Sam Boadu and family. I want to thank my elder brother Mr. George Yaw Boateng (my mentor), and his family who live in London, England.

Finally, I appreciate the support of the Ghanaian community of Providence and vicinity, Boston, and Connecticut. I give special thanks to my ex-wife Sheila Boateng; may God bless her, wherever she may be.

Thank you for reading this book. Put a smile on your face and God bless you. I love you all.

About the Author

Jimmy Gyasi Boateng was born and raised in Bonwire, the historical Kente cloth town of Ghana. I attended Phillips Commercial College