Singaporean words - pronounced differently to how it's spelt

jbsing · Post by **jbsing** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 2:27 pm

So far I have discovered from taxi drivers...

Tampines - is pronounced 'tam-pee-nees'
Bedok - is pronouced 'bh-dok', not 'bee-dok' as I thought.

I believe 'Chang yi' Airport is pronounced differently too.
Can someone please enlighten me.

Please share any more words like the above, that comes to mind...Thanks so much.

the lynx · Post by **the lynx** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 2:36 pm

jbsing wrote:So far I have discovered from taxi drivers...

Tampines - is pronounced 'tam-pee-nees'
Bedok - is pronouced 'bh-dok', not 'bee-dok' as I thought.

I believe 'Chang yi' Airport is pronounced differently too.
Can someone please enlighten me.

Please share any more words like the above, that comes to mind...Thanks so much.

It is pronounced as CHAN-ngee airport.

And oh, don't forget Outram as OEU-trm not OUT-ram, and also Dunearn as done-YEARN not DONE-earn or DUNE-arn.

sensei_ · Post by **sensei_** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 2:40 pm

Aaron = ey-ron

dont blame them as everyone pronounce words differently.

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:12 pm

And Ikea is Ik-ea not I-kea

JayCee · Post by **JayCee** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:14 pm

Anyone know why Singaporeans can't pronounce 'th' sounds?

So they say tree instead of three etc...

Post by **nakatago** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:16 pm

JayCee wrote:Anyone know why Singaporeans can't pronounce 'th' sounds?

So they say tree instead of three etc...

Someting to do wif phonetics wif Chinese languages, I guess.

Ok lah. I ask friend tomolo....

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:18 pm

nakatago wrote:
JayCee wrote:Anyone know why Singaporeans can't pronounce 'th' sounds?

So they say tree instead of three etc...
Someting to do wif phonetics with Chinese, I guess.

Ok lah. I ask friend tomolo....

Correct

You try and get Japanese to say Larry or Lorry, they can't as there isn't a L sounding phonetic in the language

Addadude · Post by **Addadude** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:19 pm

JayCee wrote:Anyone know why Singaporeans can't pronounce 'th' sounds?

So they say tree instead of three etc...

The soft 'th' sound does not exist for Dubliners either.

Instead of The, This, That, There etc you get De, Dis, Dat and Dere.

Post by **nakatago** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:24 pm

Saint wrote:
nakatago wrote:
JayCee wrote:Anyone know why Singaporeans can't pronounce 'th' sounds?

So they say tree instead of three etc...
Someting to do wif phonetics with Chinese, I guess.

Ok lah. I ask friend tomolo....

Correct

You try and get Japanese to say Larry or Lorry, they can't as there isn't a L sounding phonetic in the language

IMPOSIBRUUUUUUU!!!

But the Chinese have 'r'

Singaporeans not pronouncing "th" verbally I understand but intentionally using "tomolo" even in writing?

BTW, PRChinese seem to be doing fine with the "th" sound. It amuses me (in a good way) that some would actually sound almost-but-not-quite French when they speak in with their accented English

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 3:56 pm

JayCee wrote:Anyone know why Singaporeans can't pronounce 'th' sounds?
So they say tree instead of three etc...

My wife pronounces Thigh as Thai, and Thai as Thigh..

Beats me!?

sensei_ · Post by **sensei_** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 4:02 pm

grab as grap?

Alisonfh · Post by **Alisonfh** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 4:18 pm

I noticed this strange thing for the word "colleague"

Isn't it "COL-league" and not "collick" or "Ker-league"

...

Post by **nakatago** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 4:43 pm

Alisonfh wrote:I noticed this strange thing for the word "colleague"

Isn't it "COL-league" and not "collick" or "Ker-league"

...

Well, some of my colleagues make me feel I have collick, especially the gers.

Post by **x9200** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 5:03 pm

jbsing wrote:So far I have discovered from taxi drivers...

Tampines - is pronounced 'tam-pee-nees'
Bedok - is pronouced 'bh-dok', not 'bee-dok' as I thought.

Why do you expect non-English words that exist in the local society with their corresponding languages to be pronounced the English way?

durain · Post by **durain** » Fri, 20 Jul 2012 5:20 pm

they cant say flux but they sure can say fu*k perfectly!

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Singaporean words - pronounced differently to how it's spelt

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