National Identity Vs. International Intelligibility: A Preliminary Discourse on Singapore English
by Like the United States of America, Singapore is a multiracial, multilingual, and multicultural society. Like in the United States, English in Singapore is a political issue, but unlike in the United States, English in Singapore is one of its four official languages, but not its national language. In Singapore, there are two kinds of Englishes: the Standard Singapore English and the Colloquial Singapore English or Singapore English or Singlish.
Friend — can be used as a verb. I won’t friend you any more.
GEB — General Equipment Base
Goblock — Stupid
Got — Have you got a pen? — Got, lah!
Handicap — can mean a person who is handicapped: a blind or a crippled
Hawker — people who sell food at government built hawker centres.
HDB — (Hedg-De-Be) acronym of Housing and Devalopment Board, a place where most Singaporeans stay at night.
Helicopter – soldier, Chinese-educated
IC — In Charge
Jeero — Zero
Kaypoh – a busybody, a nosy parker.
Kena — catched into trouble.
Kiasu — (pronounced Key-a-soo). Goes to sometimes extreme lengths to make sure that they do not miss our on something.
-lah — a very common hang loose suffix. Easy lah! Chin-Chye lah!
Lelong — Sale or auction.
Lobang – opening, opportunity, especially where jobs are concerned. The literal meaning in Malay is hole.
Lost — see blur.
Mat Saleh — It is used to refer any white foreigner.
Mata — Police.
Mee Bandung — A type of noodle dish, not related with Bandung at all. Well, like in Bandung itself, there is a noodle dish called Bakso Malang.
Nasi Padang — A mixed Malay meal, not related with Padang at all.
Nett – final price, no bargain.
noe — know. I noe this guy.
NS — National Service.
NUS – (pronounced “news,” “noose,” or “en new es”) acronym of National University of Singapore
Obiang – a predecessor of Ah Beng (from the 1980s).
Phua Chu Kang Pte. Ltd. — an Ah Beng’s TV sitcom at TCS Channel 5. Not so easy to understand, if you do not know Singapore.
(don’t) play-play — be serious, do not fool around (also don’t pray-pray).
PT — Physical Training
PTI — Physical Training Instructure
ppl — people.
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