Singlish

This may be old hat but it is something that crops up time and again and something which continually interests and very often bothers me. I intend to add to this constantly so that this will become a collection of sorts.

My view is that what is often termed Singlish can be divided into 2 types. The first I feel is acceptable and can be described as the Singapore version of English. This include words peculiar or unique to Singapore and include colloquial words from Malay and Chinese dialects. Included in this would be deliberate Singlish such as jokes or funnies. One good example would be: "What is Singaporeans' favourite ice-cream flavour?" "Vani-lah". I say, let's have our version like the Aussies have theirs.

The second is poor English or lazy English which has become ingrained. This I feel should be avoided. Unfortunately, many are not aware of their mistakes because they have not been told or just don't know that it is incorrect. This post (and its subsequent additions) should be seen as highlighting and bringing to attention rather than as a condemnation of sorts.

So the list.

OK Singlish

Peculiar or Unique words

void deck, flats, hot (see below), spare parts (see below)

Colloquialisms (or no other words seems appropriate)

jelak (when you don't feel like eating any more but you are not really full)
garang (how else to describe that girl?)
shiok (how else to describe a really good chendol?)
hot (to describe the spicy-ness of the chilli)

Funnies

Singaporeans favourite ice-cream flavour: vani-lah
horrigible (when it is really really bad, more than just horrible) (can we claim this?)
spare parts (innards of an animal, particularly as food like with kuay chap or with chicken rice)

Not OK Singlish

Incorrect due to direct translation from Chinese

I was at the food row (don't know what they actually call it) at the Esplanade where they have alfresco dining and apparently food from different outlets can be bought and consumed together. A local couple with what I thought were guests from overseas were looking around and the woman said: "Let's sit here. We can call food from different restaurants and eat them here." Obviously, she is used to "jio tong si", hence call food. (My hanyu pinyin is horrigible - please forgive any mistakes in translation.)

And everyone must be familiar with washing photos because of "si jao pian" instead of developing and printing photos.

Lazy English: Incorrect (too long or too short syllables)

I don't have enough marney instead of money.
You are so larkey instead of lucky.
We also have the girl in the ad asking if she can grow vegetables in her freedge instead of fridge.
And as my son's teacher says: mudder is someone who plays with mud not the one who gave birth to you.
And farder is obviously the one who married mudder.
Also someone was on the radio giving teeps on how to help our children with their PSLE.
Then there is chillren (i.e. including those needing help with their PSLE).
I used to know someone whom, in private, I refer to as Mr. Chelve because when making his lunch appointments, he would say: "OK, let's meet at chelve-forty five."

Incorrect translation (although not quite English)

nasi lomak instead of nasi lemak (OK for my mum but not the well-dressed exec.)

Incorrect sentence structure (from Chinese or Malay)

"This restaurant how far?" instead of "How far is this restaurant?" because "jiu lo dou yuan?"


[Note to any readers out there: Additional contributions appreciated.]