What’s worse than a bad movie? Well, if you ask Jamaican linguist Joseph Farquharson, he might answer, “a movie that makes a caricature of Jamaican accents, dialect and language.” Or, more eloquently, one that globalizes the distinct language known as Patois.
Movies that come to mind, Farquharson says, are “Cool Runnings,” the 1993 feel-good movie about the Jamaican bobsled team, and Sebastian the crab from the Disney hit “The Little Mermaid” — though he’s quick to say those films aren’t without merit.
But those stereotyped depictions of Jamaican language and culture are why Farquharson agreed to sign on as a Jamaican language consultant and coach for the new Bob Marley biopic “One Love.” He says it was time to get it right. He joins host Robin Young to talk about why it all matters.
The movie is now available on streaming services.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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