The word stoosh (also spelled 'stush') has several meanings in the Jamaican language. Sometimes the exact meaning of the word is difficult to pinpoint. To add to the confusion, there are also other variations of the word. One such variation is the word 'stoshous.' We will take a look at these words and some of their usages.
Stoosh
The word stoosh has several meanings, some of which are difficult to give a definitive meaning; the meaning depends on how the word is used. Some common meanings of the word 'stoosh' are: fancy, upper class, or stuck up. The word can be used to describe people, places or things. Here are a some examples of how the word could be used in Jamaican Patois.
Cuh pon dah stoosh ouse – look at that fancy house
dah gal deh galang stoosh – that girl from a particular economic status behaves as if she is from a higher economic status.
The sentence 'dah gal deh galang stoosh' could also have an alternative meaning. It could also mean: 'that girl behaves stuck-up (conceited)'
Stoosh people naw guh wah guh deh – Upper class people will not want to go there.
The following example is an example 'stoosh' being used to describe someone but the exact meaning of the word is elusive unless you know the context in which it is being used.
Here are three examples the same word 'stoosh' being used and having slightly different meanings:
Shi gwaan stoosh stoosh – she behaves as if she is upper class
Shi gwaan stoosh stoosh - her behavior is finicky
Shi gwaan stoosh stoosh - she is highty tighty
Stoshous
The word stoshous is a variation of the word 'stoosh' and both words can have a similar meaning. The word 'stoshous' means fancy or upperclass. 'Soshous' can also be used to describe people, places or things. Here is an example of the word 'stoshous' as it could be used in Patois.
Di restahrawhnt wi did nyaam inna stoshous – the restaurant we ate in was fancy (upperclass).
Da yute deh chek seh eem stoshous fi deh roun ya – that young person thinks that he is too upperclass to be around here (in a place like this).
Ah pere stoshous si'hn eem wah buy – he only wants to buy fancy (expensive) things.
The words 'stoosh' and 'stoshous' are frequently used in Jamaica. They are used in a variety of ways and situations. Depending on how the words are used, they could have several meanings. This article gave the more common meanings of both words and provided some examples of how the words could be used.
