Singapore's English standard. The World. And much more!

[sundaymorningstaple]

[TommyD]

Haha this thread cracks me up.

I'm Australian and according to this thread my English is "Horrible". . . so true! My Fiance corrects me on my English all the time and she's from Czech! I don't understand half this thread because in Australia i was never taught grammar. I have no idea what a past preposition is, or any of the other gramatical term used here.

I think threre are a vast number of people out there who honestly respect the difficulty in learning multiple languages, and like the variations you get in different countries, like Singlish (or Czechlish, one of the reasons i got engaged). I speak many languages (English, Australian, American, British and am currently trying to learn Canadian) Learning these languages has taught me to respect the effort the Singaporean people have put into their Singlish.

. . . Mods, Flame away. It's hilarious.

[Quasimodo]

Why flame . . . no-one would argue!

'ave a good week-end, mate

[QRM]

in Australia i was never taught grammar. I have no idea what a used here.

I was taught grammar and still haven't a clue what a past preposition is, along with any of the other grammatical term is.

[morenangpinay]

no quasimodo. the call wasnt answered in India. I can hear the Chinese accent.

[vbelle]

by the way...

singapore national language is malay??

seriously?

[Strong Eagle]

by the way...

singapore national language is malay??

seriously?

Yes. Why is that surprising? The original ethnic group here would have been Malay (leaving out the many conquests and arrivals of other groups).

[vbelle]

because only malay speaks malay...
and majority here are chinese...
why they dont even teach people malay language in schools??
like im indonesian..and we all speak indonesian..and i dont speak chinese...zip...

[Strong Eagle]

because only malay speaks malay...
and majority here are chinese...
why they dont even teach people malay language in schools??
like im indonesian..and we all speak indonesian..and i dont speak chinese...zip...

There is one NATIONAL language: Malay
There are four OFFICIAL languages: Malay, Mandarin, English, Tamil
There is one working/government language: English
There is one school language: English, and

Each one of the official ethnic groups does receive instruction in their 'native' language everyday for about one hour.

This may seem strange in a way, and:

a) The government long ago decided that if the country was to succeed globally it needed to speak English.

b) The government also saw English as a bridge to enable multiple races to communicate with one another without elevating any 'native' language to special status and inflaming racial tensions.

c) The government knows that Mandarin is not the only form of Chinese spoken, nor Tamil, the only Indian language. But at least in the case of Chinese, it is an attempt to reduce the divisions and the clans and unite people together under a common language.

So, Malay is only taught to Malays as a heritage thing... to teach it across the board would mean the other languages would need to be taught as well... and it is English that is the language of government, schooling, and commerce.... believe it or not.

[vbelle]

thanks for your info

just a bit...weird to make it a national language then..
but then i may have the wrong concept about what is national language after all

[ksl]

thanks for your info

just a bit...weird to make it a national language then..
but then i may have the wrong concept about what is national language after all

You may wish to read this link it may clear a few things up for you!
http://www.mongabay.com/reference/count ... e/all.html

[smashme1984]

Well Well, seems like we can learn a lesson from this thread;

Forums, like a public performance, public relation, is not for fools either. You gotta be able to hold firm to what you are about to say or type, and back yourself up, so bull-shat wont get nowhere.

If the Thread starter cant even handle an event like this with the absence of physical presence, non real time processing, quits and runs away like a sore loser, I wonder how he will fare in the real-time society, I am guessing lotsa bull-shat spewing from the top.

Lastly, I don't see such a big issue with "perfecting" our english, why look so hard at perfection? I think the french are really cute and funny with some of their incomplete english. Nobody is or can ever be perfect, and why search so hard for flaws? There will be no end to it. As long as we can understand one another, it is fine, the economy of Singapore is still strong despite the improper english infra-strucutre some claim it runs on, what's wrong with it? It IS the Singaporeans' identity after all, just like you'll know "Howdy mate" comes from Australia, and the typical "Rock-ing" language comign from the UK creates an identity. Singaporeans have created themselves an identity here, and is doing fine, the "speak good english" campaigns the government attempts seem more like a sucking up to the western influences.

[Vaucluse]

"Howdy mate" comes from Australia

Singaporeans have created themselves an identity here, and is doing fine, the "speak good english" campaigns the government attempts seem more like a sucking up to the western influences.

Howdy mate??? That sounds like a septic trying to be an Aussie. No such thing as 'Howdy' in the Land of Milk and Honey.

Your last sentence sums it up nicely. Well said.

[rattlesnake]

"Howdy mate" comes from Australia

Singaporeans have created themselves an identity here, and is doing fine, the "speak good english" campaigns the government attempts seem more like a sucking up to the western influences.

Howdy mate??? That sounds like a septic trying to be an Aussie. No such thing as 'Howdy' in the Land of Milk and Honey.

Your last sentence sums it up nicely. Well said.

G'day, mate. The land of milk and honey is Israel mate! I looked it up on google, mate. You mean the land of plenty, mate. Catch ya later.

[Vaucluse]

"Howdy mate" comes from Australia

Singaporeans have created themselves an identity here, and is doing fine, the "speak good english" campaigns the government attempts seem more like a sucking up to the western influences.

Howdy mate??? That sounds like a septic trying to be an Aussie. No such thing as 'Howdy' in the Land of Milk and Honey.

Your last sentence sums it up nicely. Well said.

G'day, mate. The land of milk and honey is Israel mate! I looked it up on google, mate. You mean the land of plenty, mate. Catch ya later.

GodZoneGod's Own, mate . . . we have more milk and honey than Israel and their hairy neighbours could muster in a lifetime.