A Jamaican English word for firefly is often rendered peenie-wallie, with many spellings, including peeni wally. Its origin is unknown. Valerie Bloom’s poem “Two Seasons” uses the word, and an audio reading preserves the sound of it in context. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of ““Peenie-Wallie,” a Jamaican English Firefly Term with Many Spellings”
Do you know the Jamaican term for firefly? No, I think I knew it once, but I don’t anymore.
I bet you did. What is it? Peeny wally. Peeny wally sounds familiar. Yeah, yeah, it’s spelled.
Lots of different ways, like p-e-e-n-i and then another word, wally, like like the name Wally.
Peenie wally. Nobody knows why it’s called that, but I think it’s a lovely word for firefly.
And if you want to hear an example of it, look up a poem called Two Seasons by Valerie Bloom.
You can hear the audio of it being read, and it’s just gorgeous.
Peenie wally for firefly.
Yeah, and this is in Jamaican English.
Jamaican English.
Yeah.
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