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Mind yuh business

phrase mine yuh biz-niss maɪn jʊ ˈbɪznɪs

Also spelled: Mine yuh bizniss, Mind yu business

Meaning

A sharp instruction to stop meddling in someone else's affairs; carries the same meaning as English 'mind your own business' but is more clipped and often delivered as a firm rebuke to a nosy person.

Examples

  • “Weh dat have fi do wid yuh? Mind yuh business.”

    What does that have to do with you? Mind your own business.

    'Weh' means 'what' or 'where' depending on context; here it is 'what'.

  • “Mi nah tell yuh nuttn, suh mind yuh business.”

    I'm not telling you anything, so mind your own business.

    'Nah' is the negative continuous, 'am not going to'.

  • “Every likkle ting yuh waan know — mind yuh business, man.”

    Every little thing you want to know — mind your own business, man.

    'Likkle' is 'little'; 'man' is a general address particle, not gender-specific.

Origin

Directly from English 'mind your own business', shortened in everyday Patois speech by dropping 'own'.

How it's used

Blunt and dismissive; fine among peers but rude toward elders. The dropped 'own' distinguishes the Patois phrasing from standard English.

Related words