It’s actually pretty hard to research this Jamaican phrase without crashing into reference after reference relating to Cool Runnings the 1993 Disney film celebrating the true story of a Jamaican bobsled team who dared to enter the 1988 Winter Olympics. (Granted, it was a pretty good story.)
But, in this case, it’s the absence of that evidence that is the story.
The phrase "Cool Runnings" predated the film by several decades, and was one of those things that made a visit to Jamaica so unique and memorable. Although comprised of English words, it is a Jamaican Patois (slang) expression. "Cool" in this context means "everything's fine" or "no problem”, and "runnings" is a colloquial term that refers to actions or activities. So, "Cool Runnings" can be loosely translated to mean "no worries" or "all is well”.
Jamaican Patois is a Creole language spoken by the people of Jamaica. It has its roots in the language spoken by enslaved Africans brought to the Caribbean during the colonial period, combined with influences from English and other languages. Jamaican Patois has a distinct linguistic structure and vocabulary that set it apart from standard English.
Patois languages and dialects are rich and diverse, reflecting the history, culture, and linguistic influences of the regions where they developed. They are an important part of the cultural identity of many Caribbean communities.
Since its Disneyfication the phrase “cool runnings” has become way less common with the locals … which is a pity, and the Jamaican language is the poorer for it.
Similarly, “pachinko” was a Japanese arcade game involving ball bearings long before it became a 2017 novel by Min Jin Lee, and then a television series bearing the same name.
Can you think of other examples where Hollywood has had an irrevocable impact on language?
Story Idea: Remo Giuffré
Postscript
As an aside, and back to the offending film, the title “Cool Runnings” didn’t make a whole lot of sense in the languages of some countries, so they changed it to be something more descriptive. The Czech version translates to the borderline racist “Coconuts in the Snow”, in France it was “Rasta Rocket”, in Latin America “Jamaica Below 0” and in Poland “Reggae on Ice”.
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References
wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_Runnings
washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/coolrunnings
eddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1xjsu0/til_that_the_title_of_cool_runnings_in_czech_is/
Images
1. Jamaican flag
2. Cool Runnings movie poster, Disney 1993
3. Cool Runnings restaurant signage in Panama City Beach, Florida
4. Automotive Repair Shop, George Town, Cayman Islands
5. Vintage Cool Runnings T-shirt from the 1980s for sale online
6. Finnish reggae magazine cool runnings, Volume 1, Issue 4 from 1981
7. Jamaican Patois examples
8. Czech movie poster: "Kokosy na Sněhu" ("Coconuts in the Snow")
