"Caribbean" accent

"You're from the Caribbean? Isn't that like Jamaica?"

 If you are from the Caribbean and have ever traveled outside, you have heard some variant of this. The first time you hear it you laugh it off and explain no, the Caribbean is an archipelago, made up of hundreds of islands. Yes some accents sound more similar than other but that's getting into phonetics.

 The reason for this blog is that I just finished reading Americanah by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie.* In it the main character Ifemelu, describes her driver as having a "Caribbean accent". I have no beef with Adichie, throughout the novel she allows her characters, even minor ones, to keep their national identity. This one instance struck me as strange, perhaps because of that. What is the Caribbean accent? It feels like it belongs to members of the Caribbean diaspora. Those who have left band together in voice to remember the lyrical patterns of home.

It certainly is not something Caribbean people agree about. Tell a Trinidadian that they sound like a Jamaican and see the look you get. Most Caribbean people can generally guess where you are by your accent. Of course there is the general "Small islander accent."**

I don't expect anyone outside of the Caribbean to instantly know what island a Caribbean person by accent. I just want it to be known we are not a homogenous society of white sand beaches and palm trees. We are not just a vacation destination. Know who we are.

 Bigger countries have no excuse anymore. America, you call us your backyard. And hey Britain, Spain and France! You colonised us for nearly 500 years, learn our names.

*Spoiler alert: It was fantastic like all her books are , I'll be posting a review later.

** I am so so sorry I am an arrogant Trinidadian bastard.