Tumpang, teach me Singlish

**apollo** · 19th May 2006, 17:01

Hi Guys

First i am not sure if we really want to promote singlish to our visitors to Singapore. Would take tht as an insult tht we are speaking Singlish becos we cant speak English well.

Happy camper. Thanks for making an effort to know our country. Your intentions have already won alot of frds here. Therefore i am sure that you will be vry well received when you are here.

Anyway, i think most of them are teaching you our local dialect more than Singlish. Would think the clear characteristic with Singlish is tht we vry often like to end our sentence with "lah", "meh" and "hor" ie. I think the food is ok lah. Or " The food is ok meh?"

Am not expert in either English or Singlish.. but am sure anybody that contribute after me might put you on the right track to Singlish which i am not too sure if u shud pursue.

Good luck.

Stephen

**vinz** · 19th May 2006, 17:10

AQ is not anti-Singlish. AQ discourages Singlish in the main forums because we want AQ to be available to a wider international audience, and not just to locals.

At the end of the day AQ does not ask that you write in perfect English. Just avoid non-english words and shortforms in your sentences.

Personally, I don't see why we shouldn't embrace Singlish as part of Singapore culture. But we should always remember that it is a local patois and not a formal language for use in formal communication.

There are plenty of Singaporeans who can read, write, and speak decent English for work purposes, and yet will revert to at least a mild form of Singlish outside of work or in the appropriate environment. Heck, some of us even switch accents.

**Justikanz** · 19th May 2006, 17:17

Singlish is fine... And I certainly do NOT think that by speaking Singlish, we are saying we cannot speak good English. Almost all English speaking countries have their own version of the English language, mixed with their native tongues... Australian and US English are examples... We are still capable of using proper English when outside of this thread.

Btw, it is not just the 'lah's and the 'meh's... It is the sentence structuring... Cameron seems to be able to structure his Singlish sentences rather well but seems confused with his 'vocabulary'...

Oh, I certainly think learning Singlish is better than learning SMS-lish... How's SMS-lish going to show the world we can't do good English?

The correct spelling for 'Should' is not 'shud', 'what' is not 'wat', 'that' is not 'tht', for example...

While we can switch off our Singlish mode, many seem difficult to switch off the SMS-lish mode...

**Happy Camper** · 19th May 2006, 18:54

I just noticed this month is my one year anniversary at Aquatic Quotient.
Hoooray.

For interests sake, I think Singlish is similar to a local language here which is also made up of bits and pieces from different cultures. The language is called Funigalore (Funny Galore). There are *eleven* official languages in South Africa: English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Ndebele, Swazi, Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Pedi, Venda, and Xhosa. English however, is pervasive throughout the country and, in the major metropolitan areas at least, tourists and immigrants alike should have few problems. Funigalore is a mixture of all 11 languages (can you imagine that?). Hence the name FUNIGALORE. So far I can speak fluent English (first language), Afrikaans (2nd language) a bit of sotho and a bit of zulu (very difficult). And only a few words of Singlish

.

Road signs are in English, as are most forms, instructions, bills; virtually everything you will encounter on a daily basis. British English, as opposed to American English, is spoken in South Africa (amen

).

In a small way I believe our cultures have similarities. Benny has been to South Africa, I think he said he enjoyed himself here if I remember correctly? Pity I did not know of this forum at the time for if I knew he was coming I would have invited him to stay for a few days and visit. Maybe next time hey Benny.

Warm Regards
Cameron

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 20:03

Originally Posted by apollo

Hi Guys

First i am not sure if we really want to promote singlish to our visitors to Singapore. Would take tht as an insult tht we are speaking Singlish becos we cant speak English well.

Happy camper. Thanks for making an effort to know our country. Your intentions have already won alot of frds here. Therefore i am sure that you will be vry well received when you are here.

Anyway, i think most of them are teaching you our local dialect more than Singlish. Would think the clear characteristic with Singlish is tht we vry often like to end our sentence with "lah", "meh" and "hor" ie. I think the food is ok lah. Or " The food is ok meh?"

Am not expert in either English or Singlish.. but am sure anybody that contribute after me might put you on the right track to Singlish which i am not too sure if u shud pursue.

Good luck.

Stephen

I suppose you didn't read down the thread when replying. We are OK with Singlish but do not condone SMSlish.

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 20:06

Cameron, we also primarily uses British English, I always have to make sure my Windows Office are set up for GB English.

**Happy Camper** · 19th May 2006, 20:15

hwchoy

Yes and I'll bet that our countries speak the queens English better than most folks that live in England

Buaya? You are a crocodile?

Regards
Cameron

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 20:28

buaya is the girl's favourite guy, just that they don't want to admit in public

**Happy Camper** · 19th May 2006, 20:35

Originally Posted by hwchoy

buaya is the girl's favourite guy, just that they don't want to admit in public

Oh I see, you are chao buaya?

hwchoy buay-ing all the ladies.....

Are you the Don Juan of AQ?

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 21:05

Originally Posted by Happy Camper

Oh I see, you are chao buaya?

hwchoy buay-ing all the ladies.....

Are you the Don Juan of AQ?

excellent, A+

**Justikanz** · 20th May 2006, 15:11

But it is 'Buaya-ing'...

**barmby** · 22nd May 2006, 06:24

Alamak.. Over here, this topic, the Singlish standard is so high!!!

**vinz** · 22nd May 2006, 09:28

Of course. We try not to do things in half measures.

Of course what. We do things here hor, try to be tok-kong one. Don't terok terok, anyhow do.

(I think I barely pass Singlish in this sentence).

**hwchoy** · 22nd May 2006, 11:57

Originally Posted by vinz

Of course. We try not to do things in half measures.

Of course what. We do things here hor, try to be tok-kong one. Don't terok terok, anyhow do.

(I think I barely pass Singlish in this sentence).

we don't do things half-past six one.

**Justikanz** · 22nd May 2006, 14:17

Originally Posted by hwchoy

we don't do things half-past six one.

Hee... I think this captures the essence of Singlish...

Actually, even when you use very good English terms, a sentence can still be 'converted' to Singlish with the use of the words 'one', 'lah', 'lor', 'can', 'hor', 'what' and 'then' at the end of the sentence.

**Happy Camper** · 22nd May 2006, 14:49

Half past six

We do it quarter past 12

**hwchoy** · 22nd May 2006, 15:49

quarter-past 12 too many syllable haha, not "decisive" enough.

**coryfav** · 22nd May 2006, 21:14

Originally Posted by Happy Camper

Oh I see, you are chao buaya?

hwchoy buay-ing all the ladies.....

Are you the Don Juan of AQ?

Choy? A chao buaya?

Sorry, couldn't help noticing that.

**hwchoy** · 22nd May 2006, 22:30

Originally Posted by coryfav

Choy? A chao buaya?

Sorry, couldn't help noticing that.

ya ya! when I free we go parktoh want or not?

**barmby** · 23rd May 2006, 07:38

Wah lau eh, weather very hot these days, my shrimps cannot tahan leow...

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