General
sufferer
What does sufferer mean?
A poor, hard-pressed person of the ghetto struggling to survive; a figure of dignity in reggae ('sufferer's music').
"Di song a fi all di sufferer dem."
Origin
Jamaican/Rasta usage of English 'sufferer'.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'sufferer' mean in Jamaican slang?
It means a poor, hard-pressed person of the ghetto struggling to survive, treated with dignity in reggae.
What is 'sufferer's music'?
It is roots reggae made for and about the struggling poor, giving voice to their hardship.
Is calling someone a 'sufferer' an insult?
No — in this usage it carries respect and solidarity rather than mockery.
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