I was the son of sailors and reared on stories of the sea.

One or more of those, probably.

the narrator is not Jamaican.

The speaker uses "was" because he is no longer a child and is no longer being reared. (Unless, of course, he grew up to be a gay boy.)

By the way, additionally, one would not say "I is the son of sailors . . . "

Thank you, Set. I was so engrossed in the meaning that I forgot the subject is I not HE. From my angle, it is a HE!

But isn't the status of being the son of sailors permanent truth? Has SON in English culture a special meaning of A YOUNG BOY?

Unless you are Popeye the Sailor man.

I am the son of the keeper of the Eddystone light.

Set described it accurately. The speaker's focus is on the period of time when that person was a youth.



CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT, WB.

It can be used in that sense, IF the speaker so chooses. That's kind of a special case.

I am the son of sailors and we, of this community, are all sons and daughters of sailors. We won't let our life, our community, our history be destroyed by a government that is ... .

This present tense use is intended to focus on the continuing, the alive sense of US. [that's 'us', not USA]



It does, in many situations, but it isn't limited to 'young'. Does it work the same way in Chinese?

As i've already pointed out, the first person subject has already been reared, he is no longer being reared.

I pointed that out, Set.

But WB asked a further question so more was required. I kinda figured you wouldn't be able to go beyond your initial insightful comment.