Singapore English

[nakatago]

3. Please do not mix up china people who live in singapore as singaporean chinese. the way we speak is very different from them.

true; they don't speak as if they're in a hurry

/amidoingtrollingright

[Wind In My Hair]

The thing with Singaporean English is that they speak very fast and employ a lot of abrupt sounds. I would like to know how to improve understanding Singapore English.

The problem with Singlish is that it is not English with a Singaporean accent. It is almost a different language with its own grammatical structure and vocabulary, influenced by languages such as Malay and Chinese (not Mandarin but the Hokkien dialect).

My take is that Singlish is hard to pick up if you didn't grow up here, simply because you'd need to know a bit of Malay and Hokkien as well. Even those who have lived here many years and think they understand Singlish are familiar with only a few terms or phrases, but would be lost if I spoke to them the way I speak to my friends.

Singlish is not used outside Singapore and if you're going to bother learning a new language, I'd suggest something else more useful

[the lynx]

The thing with Singaporean English is that they speak very fast and employ a lot of abrupt sounds. I would like to know how to improve understanding Singapore English.

The problem with Singlish is that it is not English with a Singaporean accent. It is almost a different language with its own grammatical structure and vocabulary, influenced by languages such as Malay and Chinese (not Mandarin but the Hokkien dialect).

My take is that Singlish is hard to pick up if you didn't grow up here, simply because you'd need to know a bit of Malay and Hokkien as well. Even those who have lived here many years and think they understand Singlish are familiar with only a few terms or phrases, but would be lost if I spoke to them the way I speak to my friends.

Singlish is not used outside Singapore and if you're going to bother learning a new language, I'd suggest something else more useful

Agree! It's all in assimilation of various terms and phrases from the above said languages. And, I would be floored if I come across any foreigner who can pull it off without the awkward pauses of -lah while throwing in words like 'kena' and 'sabo' in the middle at the same time

[blogtowkay]

The thing with Singaporean English is that they speak very fast and employ a lot of abrupt sounds. I would like to know how to improve understanding Singapore English.

The problem with Singlish is that it is not English with a Singaporean accent. It is almost a different language with its own grammatical structure and vocabulary, influenced by languages such as Malay and Chinese (not Mandarin but the Hokkien dialect).

My take is that Singlish is hard to pick up if you didn't grow up here, simply because you'd need to know a bit of Malay and Hokkien as well. Even those who have lived here many years and think they understand Singlish are familiar with only a few terms or phrases, but would be lost if I spoke to them the way I speak to my friends.

Singlish is not used outside Singapore and if you're going to bother learning a new language, I'd suggest something else more useful

nice insights! to understand the context and background of the different languages used in the mix of Singlish can be next to impossible. but guess you can just ask the other person to clarify what they mean, in English of cos.

[m0n0chrome]

I realised there seem to be a trend that there are more non-English speaking service staff especially at F&B outlets and it can be quite problematic at times.

[MauMau]

The thing with Singaporean English is that they speak very fast and employ a lot of abrupt sounds. I would like to know how to improve understanding Singapore English.

The problem with Singlish is that it is not English with a Singaporean accent. It is almost a different language with its own grammatical structure and vocabulary, influenced by languages such as Malay and Chinese (not Mandarin but the Hokkien dialect).

My take is that Singlish is hard to pick up if you didn't grow up here, simply because you'd need to know a bit of Malay and Hokkien as well. Even those who have lived here many years and think they understand Singlish are familiar with only a few terms or phrases, but would be lost if I spoke to them the way I speak to my friends.

Singlish is not used outside Singapore and if you're going to bother learning a new language, I'd suggest something else more useful

Who says. Very easy to undestand what. Nabeh, must catch the words properly, then can already.

Actually, singlish got a lot of hokkien inside, so if you dunno hokkien, you also catch no ball. But you live here longer, i think also can liao.

Best is to hang out at kopitiam more, don't everyday go tanglin mall. There got so many ang mo how to learn singlish?

[nakatago]

Hoo-boy.

Wind In My Hair is Singaporean.

[Brah]

Not many would because it would be analogous to a Classical or Flamenco guitarist playing The Sex Pistols.

[the lynx]

The thing with Singaporean English is that they speak very fast and employ a lot of abrupt sounds. I would like to know how to improve understanding Singapore English.

The problem with Singlish is that it is not English with a Singaporean accent. It is almost a different language with its own grammatical structure and vocabulary, influenced by languages such as Malay and Chinese (not Mandarin but the Hokkien dialect).

My take is that Singlish is hard to pick up if you didn't grow up here, simply because you'd need to know a bit of Malay and Hokkien as well. Even those who have lived here many years and think they understand Singlish are familiar with only a few terms or phrases, but would be lost if I spoke to them the way I speak to my friends.

Singlish is not used outside Singapore and if you're going to bother learning a new language, I'd suggest something else more useful

Agreed. The only 'other country' where you can use Singlish would be Malaysia. But then again, coming from the background of non-Singaporean or non-Malaysian, one would find it very hard to pick up this language...

[MauMau]

Hoo-boy.

Wind In My Hair is Singaporean.

I know that.

[michieveous]

i'm a newbie here...i knew singaporean speak a different english and yet i didnt expect it would be very hard to understand until....i actually came here

the first singlish i experience is.... "car park" which they pronounce like "ka pak" >,<" seriously!!

and "honest" which they pronounce "ha nes" -____-"

i was in shanghai before,for me chinese english is not as good as singaporean but its still understandable (you have to concentrate though...)
singlish....geezzz.....no proper pronunciation and no grammars

i must understand it since i'm here now but HELL NO, i pray to GOD all mighty LORD.....i dont want to get my english affected.my english is not prefect but i dont want to have any of singlish accent

[sundaymorningstaple]

Don't stay here longer than 3 months then. You will have to learn some or you will never get anything accomplished, be it shopping, dining or at work if you happen to be lucky enough to work with everyday Singaporeans in your office.

[therat]

Agreed. The only 'other country' where you can use Singlish would be Malaysia. But then again, coming from the background of non-Singaporean or non-Malaysian, one would find it very hard to pick up this language...

Malaysia don't use singlish one la.

Chinese Malaysian also spoke differently from Chinese Singaporean.
Their Chinese more on direct translate from Cantonese.

In order to understand their chinese, you need to know abit of Cantonese.

[poodlek]

I wish I could pull it off. It would be hilarious for when I go home! Seriously, though, I find languages fascinating and it would be fun to learn Singlish, but since it's not a "proper" language it would be awfully difficult to teach. There are no hard and fast rules to it, more of a feel. Or so it seems to me. Maybe one day there will be a Berlitz for it? In certain situations I do find myself downgrading my sentence structure to make myself understood-taking out all the extra filler words that make grammatical sense but don't often get used here

[therat]

i'm a newbie here...i knew singaporean speak a different english and yet i didnt expect it would be very hard to understand until....i actually came here

the first singlish i experience is.... "car park" which they pronounce like "ka pak" >,<" seriously!!

and "honest" which they pronounce "ha nes" -____-"

i was in shanghai before,for me chinese english is not as good as singaporean but its still understandable (you have to concentrate though...)
singlish....geezzz.....no proper pronunciation and no grammars

i must understand it since i'm here now but HELL NO, i pray to GOD all mighty LORD.....i dont want to get my english affected.my english is not prefect but i dont want to have any of singlish accent

You will tio affected one la. Don't worry. Cannot run one.
Unless you mix to your own group. Don't come near to us lor. Then you will be safe. haha

You try to order drink at kopitiam.
Coffee is kopi
Black coffee is kopi-O
English tea is fishing.

LOL