Thursday, December 22, 2005
Spik Singlish cannot meh?
1. What is this fuss about our English?
English has become the lingua franca of international commerce. It is our bridge to the world, and helps us to maximise our opportunities. Three quarters of Singaporeans are English literate. It is the common language among all races in Singapore. It has given Singaporeans an important competitive advantage over many other Asian countries. However, we do not speak good English.
2. Is that so?
A person doesn’t need to be an expert dancer to be able to tell a good dancer from a bad one. Similarly, one needn’t be a language expert to recognise good English when it is spoken. A good speaker will be concise, expressive, clear, entertaining, fluent, and persuasive. The trouble with us is that we seem to be speaking a strange type of English. For instance, we don’t seem to distinguish between ‘no’ and ‘not’. What do we mean when we say that a person is a ‘wo-wo king?’
A good example is TV programs. American sitcoms can easily be broadcast and understood in Singapore. But Singapore programs, like Phua Chu Kang or Army Daze, are not as easily understood by audience further away than Malaysia.
3. Is there such a thing as good English?
To be politically correct, I should insist that all English is good. To correct someone’s English is to say that his way of speaking is less “valid” and to “disadvantage” him by denting his confidence, and confining him to a social group below the ideal. And what is wrong with speaking a variant of English? Wouldn’t it be an act of establishment tyranny to impose pronunciation and grammar? So long as there is consistency, shouldn’t we be encouraged to express ourselves in our own way?
4. What does it mean to speak (and write) good English?
It means using grammatically correct English in conversations where rules for constructing sentences are adhered to. While accent should not be an issue, the pronunciation should be accurate. Essentially, speaking good English is about using the standard form of English so as to be universally understood.
It is not about using bombastic words or adopting an “artificial” English or American accent. We can speak in the normal Singapore tone, which is neutral and comprehensible. But speak in full sentences, with proper sentence structure, and cutting out all the ‘las’ and ‘lors’ in each sentence.
5. What is bad grammar then?
Bad grammar is, in my view, grammar which harms the ability of the speaker to express himself. A good speaker can express difficult concepts concisely and clearly. A bad speaker cannot.
For example, what are your views on the use of double negatives to express a negative? Consider the following:
· “I didn’t give him nothing?”
· “Untrue – I never said I gave him nothing.”
With few exceptions, non-standard grammar is commonly associated with bad grammar, and with people of low intelligence and questionable literacy or education.
6. Why me? Is my English so bad?
The reason is simple. When our English becomes too mutated, we become unintelligible to others. We then have a big problem. Because in the real world, whether we are serving the public or our bosses, making presentations, giving instructions to others, arguing a case in court, negotiating an agreement, teaching a class, or even singing a song or acting in a TV program, we are much better off doing so in proper, grammatically correct English. Then we can make our meaning clear, and others can understand us, including non-Singaporeans. If instead we speak in a dialect which only some of us can understand, then we are handicapping ourselves, and cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world.
It is very clearly the case that people who speak well have an advantage in life. I would add that people who speak badly are missing out on the fun that can be had with the English language, and the satisfaction which can be found in being eloquent.
More importantly we can make an impact on the speaking and learning of good English. In turn we can help others to be more confident in the use of proper English at home, at work and at play, so as to be better understood. And for those of us who are looking for a job, a good speaker is more likely to make a good impression.
7. Are there any acceptable non-English words?
There are plenty. For example, boomerang (Australian), pyjama (Urdu and Hindi), anorak[1] (Eskimo), dilemma (Greek), manuscript (Latin), manikin[2] (Dutch), novella[3] (Italian), résumé (French), golem[4] (Hebrew), schadenfreude[5] (German), schmaltz[6] (Yiddish), scoff[7] (Danish), Chinese chow[8] (Chinese), and ofcourse, durian, rambutan, orang utan.
Perhaps in the future we’ll see ‘shiok’ and ‘kiasu’ make it to the list.
8. What about SMS English?
‘That’ is spelled d-a-t. Have is spelled ‘hv’. ‘Are you’ become just the letter r and u. I think they are fine if we restrict them to SMS and email perhaps?
9. Are there any words you want to add to Tony’s list?
Yes, there are. Here are a few of them.
Alternate, alternative, alternatively
Borrow, lend, loan
Currently, now, presently
Fewer, less
Fuzz, fuss
Imply, infer
Its, It’s
Literal, literally
Lying, laying (lay, lie, lie …)
Normal, ordinary, regular, standard
10. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
[Try matching the 5 statements below (a to e) with their meanings (A to E).]
a. "Only I served him four shots yesterday”
b. "I served him only four shots yesterday”
c. "I served only him four shots yesterday”
d. "I served him four shots only yesterday”
e. "I served him four shots yesterday only”
A. On no other day did I serve him four shots.
B. It was very recently that I served him four shots.
C. I served no one else this number of shots.
D. I served him no more than 4 shots.
E. No one else served him this number of shots.
[1] a pullover hooded jacket long enough to cover the hips
[2] mannequin; a little man
[3] a work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity between a short story and a novel
[4] an artificial human being in Hebrew folklore endowed with life
[5] enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others
[6] sentimental or florid music or art
[7] an expression of scorn, derision, or contempt
[8] food
English has become the lingua franca of international commerce. It is our bridge to the world, and helps us to maximise our opportunities. Three quarters of Singaporeans are English literate. It is the common language among all races in Singapore. It has given Singaporeans an important competitive advantage over many other Asian countries. However, we do not speak good English.
2. Is that so?
A person doesn’t need to be an expert dancer to be able to tell a good dancer from a bad one. Similarly, one needn’t be a language expert to recognise good English when it is spoken. A good speaker will be concise, expressive, clear, entertaining, fluent, and persuasive. The trouble with us is that we seem to be speaking a strange type of English. For instance, we don’t seem to distinguish between ‘no’ and ‘not’. What do we mean when we say that a person is a ‘wo-wo king?’
A good example is TV programs. American sitcoms can easily be broadcast and understood in Singapore. But Singapore programs, like Phua Chu Kang or Army Daze, are not as easily understood by audience further away than Malaysia.
3. Is there such a thing as good English?
To be politically correct, I should insist that all English is good. To correct someone’s English is to say that his way of speaking is less “valid” and to “disadvantage” him by denting his confidence, and confining him to a social group below the ideal. And what is wrong with speaking a variant of English? Wouldn’t it be an act of establishment tyranny to impose pronunciation and grammar? So long as there is consistency, shouldn’t we be encouraged to express ourselves in our own way?
4. What does it mean to speak (and write) good English?
It means using grammatically correct English in conversations where rules for constructing sentences are adhered to. While accent should not be an issue, the pronunciation should be accurate. Essentially, speaking good English is about using the standard form of English so as to be universally understood.
It is not about using bombastic words or adopting an “artificial” English or American accent. We can speak in the normal Singapore tone, which is neutral and comprehensible. But speak in full sentences, with proper sentence structure, and cutting out all the ‘las’ and ‘lors’ in each sentence.
5. What is bad grammar then?
Bad grammar is, in my view, grammar which harms the ability of the speaker to express himself. A good speaker can express difficult concepts concisely and clearly. A bad speaker cannot.
For example, what are your views on the use of double negatives to express a negative? Consider the following:
· “I didn’t give him nothing?”
· “Untrue – I never said I gave him nothing.”
With few exceptions, non-standard grammar is commonly associated with bad grammar, and with people of low intelligence and questionable literacy or education.
6. Why me? Is my English so bad?
The reason is simple. When our English becomes too mutated, we become unintelligible to others. We then have a big problem. Because in the real world, whether we are serving the public or our bosses, making presentations, giving instructions to others, arguing a case in court, negotiating an agreement, teaching a class, or even singing a song or acting in a TV program, we are much better off doing so in proper, grammatically correct English. Then we can make our meaning clear, and others can understand us, including non-Singaporeans. If instead we speak in a dialect which only some of us can understand, then we are handicapping ourselves, and cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world.
It is very clearly the case that people who speak well have an advantage in life. I would add that people who speak badly are missing out on the fun that can be had with the English language, and the satisfaction which can be found in being eloquent.
More importantly we can make an impact on the speaking and learning of good English. In turn we can help others to be more confident in the use of proper English at home, at work and at play, so as to be better understood. And for those of us who are looking for a job, a good speaker is more likely to make a good impression.
7. Are there any acceptable non-English words?
There are plenty. For example, boomerang (Australian), pyjama (Urdu and Hindi), anorak[1] (Eskimo), dilemma (Greek), manuscript (Latin), manikin[2] (Dutch), novella[3] (Italian), résumé (French), golem[4] (Hebrew), schadenfreude[5] (German), schmaltz[6] (Yiddish), scoff[7] (Danish), Chinese chow[8] (Chinese), and ofcourse, durian, rambutan, orang utan.
Perhaps in the future we’ll see ‘shiok’ and ‘kiasu’ make it to the list.
8. What about SMS English?
‘That’ is spelled d-a-t. Have is spelled ‘hv’. ‘Are you’ become just the letter r and u. I think they are fine if we restrict them to SMS and email perhaps?
9. Are there any words you want to add to Tony’s list?
Yes, there are. Here are a few of them.
Alternate, alternative, alternatively
Borrow, lend, loan
Currently, now, presently
Fewer, less
Fuzz, fuss
Imply, infer
Its, It’s
Literal, literally
Lying, laying (lay, lie, lie …)
Normal, ordinary, regular, standard
10. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
[Try matching the 5 statements below (a to e) with their meanings (A to E).]
a. "Only I served him four shots yesterday”
b. "I served him only four shots yesterday”
c. "I served only him four shots yesterday”
d. "I served him four shots only yesterday”
e. "I served him four shots yesterday only”
A. On no other day did I serve him four shots.
B. It was very recently that I served him four shots.
C. I served no one else this number of shots.
D. I served him no more than 4 shots.
E. No one else served him this number of shots.
[1] a pullover hooded jacket long enough to cover the hips
[2] mannequin; a little man
[3] a work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity between a short story and a novel
[4] an artificial human being in Hebrew folklore endowed with life
[5] enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others
[6] sentimental or florid music or art
[7] an expression of scorn, derision, or contempt
[8] food
