Also, either......

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Wed, 08 Jan 2014 9:15 pm

I believe all of it is the result of the grammar of the Mandarin language. For example, there is no tense in verbs, so additional descriptors are added, such as yesterday or already to indicate past tense. Of course, that is a starting point, and when one mixes in Malay you get... Singlish.

singapore eagle · Post by **singapore eagle** » Wed, 08 Jan 2014 9:42 pm

I've got to the point where I doubt myself whenever I use the word 'also'. Am I using it correctly or am I speaking like a Singaporean? I just don't know any more.

Going slightly off-topic, I stumbled across a programme on channel 5 last night called 'Say the Word'. Has anyone else seen it? It has to be the most unintentionally hilarious programme I have seen here, and that is quite an achievement. You can check it out for yourselves:

http://www.toggle.sg/Episode/say-the-wo ... e-5/270633

I especially enjoyed the middle of the three rounds.

Sergei82 · Post by **Sergei82** » Wed, 08 Jan 2014 9:45 pm

At least most of you guys are native English speakers. Imagine the impact all of that has on me!

earthfriendly · Post by **earthfriendly** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 12:32 am

Skip the English and just dive into learning Singlish

?

earthfriendly · Post by **earthfriendly** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 1:04 am

I believe it is derived from Mandarin.

"also" = ?? = either

http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/sino ... =%E4%B9%9F

"how can" = zhe????? = how can you/she/he/they do that?

PrimroseHill · Post by **PrimroseHill** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 8:20 am

kena sarboh wat

the lynx · Post by **the lynx** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 8:57 am

zzm9980 wrote:I'm still don't quite understand the usage of "how, can?" It seems to be thrown in random places to indicate that something isn't possible but would be very difficult to do, but not when they're asking my input. More as a declaration. But maybe I'm completely wrong.

Lynx can you explain?

"How can?!" (some used as "Where can?!") is trans-literal from its origin, the Malay version "Mana boleh?" to express puzzlement (sometimes mixed with disappointment or annoyance) to an action which would be normally illogical, impossible and impermissible in the speaker's context (normally, impermissible

).

Chinese (Mandarin, Hokkien and Cantonese AFAIK) do have the equivalent for that situation but not in trans-literal "How can?!" sense. This is truly Singlish.

Fortan · Post by **Fortan** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 1:02 pm

First time I had to fill my car up with gasoline, I went to a nearby SPC gas station. Uncle filled up my tank and I went to the shop:

Lady: Wat pum?
Me: Eh, 6
Lady: You got spc car...?
Me: Little wait thinking..... Nah, I got the Mazda out there....
Lady: Eh?

Sergei82 · Post by **Sergei82** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 1:17 pm

Malay Chinese:
- Sergei yah, okey yah?

Mexikaner · Post by **Mexikaner** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 2:04 pm

Singlish. Embrace it...Lah! =P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owH_LD_JeXk

Post by **x9200** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 2:07 pm

the lynx wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:I'm still don't quite understand the usage of "how, can?" It seems to be thrown in random places to indicate that something isn't possible but would be very difficult to do, but not when they're asking my input. More as a declaration. But maybe I'm completely wrong.

Lynx can you explain?
"How can?!" (some used as "Where can?!") is trans-literal from its origin, the Malay version "Mana boleh?" to express puzzlement (sometimes mixed with disappointment or annoyance) to an action which would be normally illogical, impossible and impermissible in the speaker's context (normally, impermissible ).

Chinese (Mandarin, Hokkien and Cantonese AFAIK) do have the equivalent for that situation but not in trans-literal "How can?!" sense. This is truly Singlish.

But alltogether this is pretty semantically clear phrase. I don't know, maybe because I am not the native speaker but I have no problem with this one. For me it is just abbreviated: how can this be possible/done?

PrimroseHill · Post by **PrimroseHill** » Thu, 09 Jan 2014 2:28 pm

Fortan wrote:First time I had to fill my car up with gasoline, I went to a nearby SPC gas station. Uncle filled up my tank and I went to the shop:

Lady: Wat pum?
Me: Eh, 6
Lady: You got spc car...?
Me: Little wait thinking..... Nah, I got the Mazda out there....
Lady: Eh?

Miss, buy wan more get 2 free wor, buy lah buy more wan more get 2 free.
Buy 4 get 20free good good good barrr gain

triste · Post by **triste** » Fri, 10 Jan 2014 9:38 am

Let's just be glad they don't use "either". Lord knows they can't pronounce the "th" sound, they'd be saying "eater" or "eyeter".

Post by **nakatago** » Fri, 10 Jan 2014 9:54 am

It's like in that video posted here, "Ang Moh vs Singaporean."

Ang Moh buys fruit shake (banana, I think).
Auntie asks, "Apple?"
Ang Moh orders again, this time in Mandarin.
Auntie asks again, "Apple?"
Ang Moh explains (in Mandarin).
Auntie replies in Singlish, "I know...I asked you 'add pearl?'"

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Sat, 11 Jan 2014 3:06 pm

nakatago wrote:It's like in that video posted here, "Ang Moh vs Singaporean."

Ang Moh buys fruit shake (banana, I think).
Auntie asks, "Apple?"
Ang Moh orders again, this time in Mandarin.
Auntie asks again, "Apple?"
Ang Moh explains (in Mandarin).
Auntie replies in Singlish, "I know...I asked you 'add pearl?'"

This is pretty funny, because I've been the Ang Moh to order juice in Mandarin because they didn't understand when I said "Green Apple" in English. I wonder if someone saw me doing that.

The other is sparkling water. No one knows wtf that is until I say ' ???', which is literally 'Paris Water', the only thing PRC Chinese seem to understand.

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