Traditional✓ Culturally verified
“Beat Quaco, but gi' 'im 'im quattie.”
Punish Quaco, but give him his quattie (his due pay).
What does “Beat Quaco, but gi' 'im 'im quattie” mean?
Be fair: even when you criticise someone, give credit where credit is due.
English translation
Punish Quaco, but give him his quattie (his due pay).
Understanding the expression
A quattie was an old small coin. Correcting someone does not cancel what they rightfully earned.
When to use it: an illustrative example
"Him late every day, but him work hard." — "Beat Quaco, but gi im im quattie. Mention di good work in di review too."
Partner proverb
Every proverb has its partner
“Beat Quaco, but gi' 'im 'im quattie.”
“Cuss dawg but nuh tell 'im 'bout 'im teet' nuh white.”
Scold the dog, but don't say its teeth aren't white.
Shared wisdom: Don't be biased; always give credit where credit is due.
View partner proverb →Topics
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Attribution and review
Traditional Jamaican proverb