<![CDATA[Class 95 news news news - Singlish]]>Today morning topic is able Singlish. Should we Singaporean change and learn proper English or we can stick to our own Singlish?


I admit i do not speak or write proper English but i am doing my best to improve on it. What are your views?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/4929/class-95-news-news-news-singlishRSS for NodeSun, 26 Apr 2026 01:40:26 GMTThu, 13 Aug 2009 01:09:32 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:34:30 GMT]]>To me, our Mandarin is in a worst state than our English. Having spoken to quite a few locals who were/are posted to Beijing/Shanghai for work, they realised that they could hardly do any formal presentation or properly understood during meetings and such. The situation is serious enough to warrant the companies to send them for biz communications classes. One of them who decided to stay for an extended period had actually took a 6 month sabbatical for Mandarin biz studies in Beijing U.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/55166https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/55166Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:34:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:59:52 GMT]]>I use a lot of Singlish myself, however, I draw the line very clearly when I speak to children. I make it a point to speak proper English to them. Singlish and broken English is actually quite different to me. Broken English could be due to our mixture with our broken Chinese too, sometimes, sentence construction is mixed up as English and Chinese use different rules.


The beauty of our generation is that we are able to switch between proper English and Singlish. My 'angmoh' colleagues are always amazed that they understand us perfectly well when we are speaking to them; but once we start talking among Singaporeans, they could well be hearing Greek.

Sadly, I can't say the same of our younger generation. Now it is even worse with sms. Not only are they unable to use the correct grammar / tenses, they can't even spell properly now. I worry that it may become a habit for them that it creeps into their essay writing.

My son used to speak very good English when he was young as he was taught in a pre-school where the teachers speak proper English and Mandarin. Once he started school, however, everything went out the window. (Not to mention the vulgar words he picked up in the school bus...)

Some of the things that my son says:
- we both (我们俩）
- I and Chris have
- we anyhow do lor (我们乱做）
- he purposely hit me
and the list goes on

Read somewhere that there is a competition to send in signs spotted with broken English and to recommend the correct English version. Maybe we should start one here in KSP too on what the kids say and how we should correct them.

As starters, the version for the above would be
- both of us want
- Chris and I have
- we did not do it properly
- he hit me on purpose (?)

Now that my English is contaminated too, I sometimes have to ponder over what should be the right grammar too.

Hmmmm, sometimes Singlish is more 'efficient' hor? :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/54517https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/54517Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:59:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:07:33 GMT]]>I love your kids replies.

i think Jack Neo can starred them in his next comedy movie.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50852https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50852Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:07:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:52:46 GMT]]>your kids r good man!! :lol: u must be so proud!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50839https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50839Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:52:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:56:02 GMT]]>I do use a fair bit of Singlish. Even when speaking to my kids. Being part peranakan, we tend to use a smattering of Malay in our daily conversation and our kids tend to pick them up too. DH did not want them to say any inauspicious thing during CNY and warned them not to use words like die or 死 when we visit his parents. So on the 1st day of CNY, my boy saw that one of the guppies have died, he went like mummy, the fish pengsan oredi.


However, I noticed that both my kids are able to switch between singlish and proper english pretty effortlessly. They even adopt an ang moh accent when speaking to my neighbour who is from UK. They were out in the garden playing and our neighbour was also out in their garden. Both my kids started greeting them and struck up a conversation with them. It went like,

DD : Hi, are you our new neighbour?
DS : Where are you from?
DD : How old is your son? Does he go to school?
DD : Mummy sends us to school everyday before she goes to work. She will pick us up after her work. Sometimes she’s early sometimes she’s late.
DS : I like it when mummy picks us up early, then we get to play before dinner.

I stepped out into the garden then and DS went, "this is my mom". Then to me, "mummy, meet our new neighbour".

I was thinking, wah Mom? You never refer to me as Mom before. Then both of them came into the house and very loudly
DS : kakak, our new neighbour is ang moh leh
DD : you got see them before or not?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50815https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50815Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:56:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:41:29 GMT]]>

MLR:
buds:

I don't Singlish with the kids. They

pick up A LOT in school already... :roll:

Yep, we find ourselves trying hard to unteach him, especially when we call him and he goes Huh? or Ah? or Yah? :roll: recently its the \"I cannot\", \"Do for me\", \"don't want, don't want\" :faint:


agree with you. From school ... and from TV programmes.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50784https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50784Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:41:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:46:32 GMT]]>

Andaiz:
My DD's came back from playschool with Singlish taught to her by a German kid 😐 who's localized, right down to his lunch preference! Now, go figure! :roll:

Know a few of them. They were born and grew up here. Parents send them to local school too. Other than their colourings, they are Singaporean thru and thru. Their fav food: chicken rice, satay, rojak, char kway teow, murtabak, etc. Parents complain that they speak their native tongue with Singlish accent, HAHAHA.... one of them in NS now and another is attending Temasek Poly.

Another family is going home after a 10 yr stint here and their children (age 14 and 10) asked if they can stay in Singapore under foster care.... Now they are considering staying here for good, since the children will hv problem coping back home cos home to the children is Singapore.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50469https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50469Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:46:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:38:12 GMT]]>

MLR:
[Yep, we find ourselves trying hard to unteach him, especially when we call him and he goes Huh? or Ah? or Yah? :roll: recently its the \"I cannot\", \"Do for me\", \"don't want, don't want\" :faint:

My DD1 came back from playschool with Singlish taught to her by a German kid 😐 who's localized, right down to his lunch preference! Now, go figure! :roll:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50379https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50379Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:38:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:00:17 GMT]]>

buds:
I don't Singlish with the kids. They

pick up A LOT in school already... :roll:
Yep, we find ourselves trying hard to unteach him, especially when we call him and he goes Huh? or Ah? or Yah? :roll: recently its the \"I cannot\", \"Do for me\", \"don't want, don't want\" :faint:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50358https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50358Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:00:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:48:57 GMT]]>Hokay, my English also not that great,

so inter-changeability is fine with me..
Like it's okay to Singlish here in KSP..
and Queens in another. Ahakz! :lol:

I don't Singlish with the kids. They
pick up A LOT in school already... :roll:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50350https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50350Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:48:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:43:52 GMT]]>Hehee.. sub-language... i like how you put it! 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50348https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50348Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:43:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:37:18 GMT]]>I agree with MLR & EN.


Not that my english is good, but I do change the way I speak (and write) depending on the audience. In KSP, I type normally, in other forums or online gaming, it would be like … wat eh? u duno meh? dat one lor =.="

but for my 6yrs old son, I forbid him to speak singlish for now. Our education system is already stressful enough, no reason to pick up another sub-language and confused him.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50343https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50343Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:37:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:08:16 GMT]]>i do not think our children should speak Singlish. In fact i do not like the man in yellow boots. I saw the national day parade and wonder why they get Mark Lee?

Buds i am with you … !!!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50278https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50278Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:08:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:52:25 GMT]]>

EN:
Make the person I talk to feel at ease talking to me mah...

Yep, thats the way to go.
Since I move in very different circle of friends, I m pretty good in inter-changeability.

Accent is not a bad thing at all, cos it does gives you identity. In DH's dragon boat team, theres members from different backgrounds, although they are American/Candian, but they still may hv their Irish/West Indies/South American, etc accents. They are proud of their birth, so should we. Of course they tease each other about the quirky or oddities, but its all in good humour.

It happened once to me in San Francisco. We were down in Fishermen Wharf and while waiting for a ticket, I heard this couple speaking in Singlish. I had such a funny feeling and I went over to chat them up. It felt so good and that really made my day.

Often DH teased me about my use of Singlish with my friends. My blend of Singlish is more of a mix of English, Mandarin, Malay and some words that only we understand. Whenever I heard DH on the phone, I would be able to guess whom he was speaking to. When he talking to his siblings or friends back home he would don his West Indies accent.

:celebrate:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50261https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50261Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:52:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:36:54 GMT]]>[quote]I have more tolerance for singlish than fake 'angmoh' accents. The latter literally give me the goose bumps. [/quote]
I am able to change my style of talking and writing easily to suit the audience. BUT I draw a line in trying to assimilate the fake angmoh accents society. They give CSC goose bumps and make me want to puke instead. :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50247https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50247Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:36:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:19:14 GMT]]>I would rather opt for inter-changeability. It is highly dependent on who I am talking or writing to. Proper English with good pronounciation and enunciation when I am doing serious business meeting.


Among friends, depending again which group of friends. If they speak proper English, I use proper English. If the friends speak Singlish, I join the fun Singlish with Singapore accent. The lah, the lor, jia luck, wah lao, bo pian, auntie ahh, 1 kopi etc.

Often in unknown environment (can’t gauge my audience), I’ll be myself which usually prompted people to ask are you not local or which country are you from. So, that kind of question will make me just change my tune to suit the person I am talking to.

Make the person I talk to feel at ease talking to me mah…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50228https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50228Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:19:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:48:55 GMT]]>

joconde:
On the whole, I conclude that we singporeans just dun appreciate the beauty of language. We are simply too lazy when it comes to speech and don't bother to expressing ourselves clearly.

Ermmm... i'm not included in the whole, okie! 😉
I'm never too lazy when it comes to expressing
myself... sometimes too clearly... 😛

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50182https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50182Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:48:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:27:30 GMT]]>

joconde:
Just look at the way we speak when Ch8 TV news interview people on the street. Then compare how those commoners from China, HK or Taiwan speak on their TV news interviews. Not just they use proper language, they are also far more eloquent than us. Even China low-educated peasant can express their views much better than us.

Well, there's less confusion in China/HK coz their first language is Chinese (not necessary Mandarin or pu tong hua)/Cantonese. Just think back to our childhood - we probably spoke our Mother's dialect, a smattering of Malay to our friends next door, and English at School. That's the beauty of growing up in a Cultural melting pot! :celebrate:

Yes, we could do a better job in enunciating our words and speaking a good language (grammar, sentence construction and all) - whether in English or Mandarin

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50167https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50167Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:27:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:17:43 GMT]]>To me, it’s fine to use singapore style vocab occasionally, eg tao pao (take away), jia luck (severe), etc. What I feel needs to be improved is the way we construct our sentences. The way some singaporeans speak is really terrible. Eg : Everytime always like tat one. Bus want to come already, you faster lah. Like tat can or not ? She got give you the ticket ?


In fact not only English, the way we speak Chinese is also very bad. I have a friend who grew up from China/HK comments that she had a hard time getting used to the way we speak chinese when she first came here. She is surprised at how limited our vocab is, and our lack of ability to express ourselves clearly. We tend to simply our sentences and use only basic , general terms to describe everything. Eg, when it comes to using 量词, we use 一个 for everything. When we dun know the proper name for an object, we simply say 哪个黑黑的, 那个扁扁的. Just look at the way we speak when Ch8 TV news interview people on the street. Then compare how those commoners from China, HK or Taiwan speak on their TV news interviews. Not only they use proper language, they are also far more eloquent than us. Even China low-educated peasant can express their views much better than us.

On the whole, I conclude that we singporeans just dun appreciate the beauty of language. We are simply too lazy when it comes to speech and don’t bother to expressing ourselves clearly.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50159https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50159Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:17:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:15:41 GMT]]>I am for good, grammatically sound and properly-pronounced English. The accent doesn’t matter. But the English has to be proper. You can sound Singaporean and still speak proper English.


What gets my goat is when they get these Australians to voice over on tv and they mangle our Singapore words. For eg., the trailer on football: "Bucket Gum-back!" instead of Bukit Gombak. For goodness sakes. pronounce Malay words as they should be pronounced. The producers ought to be shot for allowing our local names to be mispronounced so badly.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50158https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50158Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:15:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:04:57 GMT]]>I have more tolerance for singlish than fake 'angmoh' accents. The latter literally give me the goose bumps. 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50152https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50152Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:04:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:48:10 GMT]]>:lol:


Yeah...Aunty will ask you \"Squat what? \"

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50142https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50142Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:48:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:44:08 GMT]]>

SGoku:
so true. Sometime i talk to the Nasi Lemak Chinese Aunty.....1 Nasi Lemak Sa Tu Taar Bao please.


1 = number
Nasi Lemak - Malay food
Sa Tu - i say 1 already but add malay number 1 behind too
Taar Bao - Take away

Note that she is a Chinese lady.

Sometime she gave me extra ingredients.. :lol:
Can you imagine if I want to add \"sotong\" to my nasi padang but said \"squid\" instead? :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50137https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50137Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:44:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Class 95 news news news - Singlish on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:39:06 GMT]]>so true. Sometime i talk to the Nasi Lemak Chinese Aunty.....1 Nasi Lemak Sa Tu Taar Bao please.


1 = number
Nasi Lemak - Malay food
Sa Tu - i say 1 already but add malay number 1 behind too
Taar Bao - Take away

Note that she is a Chinese lady.

Sometime she gave me extra ingredients.. :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50132https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/50132Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:39:06 GMT