Monday 11 March 2013

English Vinglish







Just saw this video. In my opinion, i think that this issue of "singlish" speaking here is really getting out of hand. Singlish is neither a language nor a dialect. As a Singaporean it is embarrassing that other countries are mocking us for our excessive use of singlish.

Sitting on the bus a few days ago, i overheard the conversation between two primary school students. They were conversing on an online game, Blackshot. Obviously there is nothing wrong with talking about that, but the English they were speaking would sound as another language altogether to a foreigner. Ï quote the conversation between them. This is not the exact content of the conversation, but it sounded like this to me.

(A) "Eh you know ah, the granede fly ah, so far that it kill everyone you know. My fren ah, all die you know. Later ah, i shoot them with my pistall and i headshot they all. I tell you i damn pro at blackshot"

(B) ""Aya that is nothing la. Yesterday i play with my brother and i own him i tell you. He got so much skill but he still loose to me. Then later i play team match and i get MVP eh. My kd is 40 pe cent. You think you can win me?

Seriously? Nobody would expect 10 year olds to talk in perfect fluent English but this has gone too far.

When i see between grown up working women, all decked up in the MRT stations going to work, they seem to be real professionals looking very smart, clad with high heels and briefcases. But when they open their mouth, my opinion of them changes. They can seem to pronounce their "r" and syllables.   I ask myself weather they had taken English as a subject in school. Sure i am over generalising singaporeans as a whole when this is not the case for many, but as a whole i think that there needs to be changes, and drastic ones to make a difference.

I am sure you can relate to me. What do you think? What are some things that can be done to improve the standard of English here?

Signing off,
Just another Singaporean

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