Meaning
To hear — but in Patois 'hear' stretches past the ears. It means to understand a language ('mi hear Spanish'), and to heed or obey ('di pickney nuh hear' = the child is disobedient; 'hear mi' = listen to and mind me). Context tells you whether it's the sound, the sense, or the obedience at stake.
Examples
-
Yuh nuh hear wa mi seh?
Didn't you hear/heed what I said?
-
Him can hear French but nuh speak it.
He can understand French but doesn't speak it.
Origin
From English 'hear', extended to understand/obey. See [[listen]], [[hush]].
How it’s used
To hear; also to understand a language, and to heed/obey.