Falkland Islands English is mainly British in character. However, as a result of the isolation of the islands, the small population has developed and retains its own accent/dialect, which persists despite a large number of immigrants from the United Kingdom in recent years. In rural areas (i.e. anywhere outside Port Stanley), known as âCampâ (from Spanish campo or âcountrysideâ), the Falkland accent tends to be stronger. The dialect has resemblances to Australian, New Zealand, West Country and Norfolk dialects of English, as well as Lowland Scots.
Two notable Falkland Island terms are âkelperâ meaning a Falkland Islander, from the kelp surrounding the islands (sometimes used pejoratively in Argentina) and âsmokoâ, for a smoking break (as in Australia and New Zealand).
The word âyompâ was used by the British armed forces during the Falklands War but is passing out of usage.
In recent years, a substantial Saint Helenian population has arrived, mainly to do low-paid work, and they too have a distinct form of English.
Spanish loanwords
The Falklands English vernacular has a fair amount of borrowed Spanish words (often modified or corrupted). These include colloquialisms such as âcheâ, also encountered in Rioplatense Spanish, and âpoochaâ equivalent to âwowâ. or âdamnâ, (from pucha, a euphemism for puta or âwhoreâ).
They are particularly numerous, indeed dominant in the local horse-related terminology. For instance, the Islanders use âalizanâ, âcoloraoâ, ânegroâ, âblancoâ, âgotiaoâ, âpicassoâ, âsarcoâ, ârabincanaâ etc. for certain horse colours and looks, or âbosalâ, âcabrestaâ, âbastosâ, âcinchâ, âconjinillaâ, âmeletasâ, âtientasâ, âmanaresâ etc. for various items of horse gear.
Unlike the older English, French and Spanish place names given by mariners, which refer mainly to islands, rocks, bays, coves, and capes (points), the post-1833 Spanish names usually identify inland geographical locations and features, reflecting the new practical necessity for orientation, land delimitation and management in the cattle and sheep farming. Among the typical such names or descriptive and generic parts of names are âRincon Grandeâ, âCeritosâ, âCampitoâ, âCanteraâ, âTerra Motasâ, âMalo Riverâ, âBrasse Marâ, âDos Lomasâ, âTorcida Pointâ, âPioja Pointâ, âEstanciaâ, âOroquetaâ, âPiedra Solaâ, âLaguna Secoâ, âManadaâ, etc.