Saban English is the local dialect of English spoken on Saba, an island in the Dutch Caribbean. It belongs to the group of Caribbean English varieties, and has been classified as a decreolized form of Virgin Islands Creole English.^[1] There is one published dictionary of Saban English, A Lee Chip, authored by Theodore R. Johnson.^[2]

Phonology

Consonants

The Saban dialect is not purely rhotic nor non-rhotic.^[3] Post-vocalic /r/ is absent in unstressed syllables or following front vowels, but pronounced in stressed syllables and following back vowels, with the exception of the words more and farm. Phrase initially, /r/ is pronounced as [ɹ].

H-dropping is common in Saban dialects. [θ] becomes [ʔ] intervocalically and phrase finally, math is pronounced like /maʔ/. T-glottalization is also common intervocally, phrase finally and in clusters: water, hospital, bet and ate are pronounced like [wɒʔa], [haspɪʔl], [bɛ:ʔ] and [ɛ:ʔ].^[3]

There is poor distinction between the [v] and [w] sounds in Saban English. The contrast is often neutralized or merged into [v], [w] or [β], so village sounds like [wɪlɪdʒ], [vɪlɪdʒ] or [βɪlɪdʒ]. This also happens in the Vincentian, Bermudian, Bahamian English and other Caribbean Englishes. This results in the word seventh being pronounced as [sɛβənʔ].

Metathesis is a common feature of Saban English and results in words like "ask" sounding like [æks]. Nasal backing is common in Saban English: "Town" sounds like [taʊŋ] and "ground" sounds like [graʊŋ]. Consonant cluster are often reduced.^[3]

Vowels

The realization of vowels in Saban English is as follows.^[3] The vowels below are named by the lexical set they belong to:

• The Kit vowel: Saban English shows lowering of the Kit vowel and the vowel can be pronounced as either [ɪ] or [ɛ].
• The Dress vowel: Saban English shows lowering of the Dress vowel and the vowel can be pronounced as either [ɛ], [ɛ:].
• The Trap/Bath vowel: This vowel can be pronounced as [a], [æ] or is lowered and backed and merged with the vowel in Lot as [ɑ].
• The Strut vowel: It is merged with the Thought vowel, being pronounced as [ɔ].
• The Foot vowel: This vowel is pronounced as [ʌ].
• The Fleece vowel: This vowel is pronounced as [i:].
• The Thought vowel: The vowel is [ɔ].
• the Lot Vowel: This vowel is either [ɑ], [ɒ] or [ɔ].
• The Face diphthong: It is generally monophthongized to [ɛ:]. It merges with the Fleece vowel before nasal consonants, so words like mean and main are homophonous.
• The Start vowel: It is realized as [ɑɹ].
• The North vowel: It is merged with the vowel in Start and is usually [ɑɹ].
• The Force vowel: The North/Force split has been preserved on Saba, but it appears to be undergoing merger.
• The Nurse vowel: in rhotic words, it merges with the Force or Strut vowels, in non-rhotic words it is realized as [ʌ].
• The Goat diphthong: It is generally [oə] or monophthongized to [o:].
• The Near diphthong and the Square diphthong: These diphthongs are generally merged can be realized as either [eə] or [iə].
• The Price/Prize diphthong: It's pronounced as either [ʌɪ] or [ɛɪ].
• The Choice diphthong: The nucleus of the diphthong is lowered, and, sometimes fronted, being pronounced as either [ʊɪ] or [ʌɪ]
• The Mouth diphthong: It varies between [aʊ] and [ɔʊ].
• The lettEr-commA vowel: It is [a].

Grammar

Ain't ([ɛ̃ː], [ɛn] or [ɛnt]) is frequently used in negations and can be used in the place of words like didn’t or haven’t. Saban English also makes extensive use of the expression “for to” as in the sentence: This is ready for to come ripe.