Professional Documents
Culture Documents
5 Unique Features of Singlish
5 Unique Features of Singlish
4. Missing Verbs
Singlish users remove the verb “to be” from sentences. This language habit is another
derived from contracted Chinese phrases. The missing verbs are in parenthesis.
Examples are:
a. “She scared. (is)”, translated from the Chinese phrase, “ta pa”
b. “Today, I going shopping (am)”, translated from the Chinese sentence “Jing tian wo
qu guang jie.”
c. “Your book there (is)”, translated from the Chinese sentence “Ni de shu zai na“
5. Vocabulary from other languages
Singlish borrows words from other languages, particularly Malay and Chinese. These
words have specific functions. Some instances of borrowed vocabulary include:
a. Alamak, a Malay word to indicate dismay or surprise e.g. “Alamak! I already late!”
b. Sian, a Chinese word that shows a speaker’s boredom e.g. “This lecture is so sian.”
c. Susah, A Malay word for “useless.” e.g. “Fixing that spoilt car, susah lah”
The Great Singlish Debate
A perennial debate exists in Singapore over the use of Singlish, and it stresses the
complex language environment of the country.
Code mixing or the merging of vocabulary from different languages is seen as an
unacceptable norm in Singapore. The government discourages Singlish in the mass
media and schools, viewing it as a non-standard, pidgin language that people from
other countries find hard to understand.
To encourage the use of Standard English, it has introduced the Speak Good English
Movement. It favors the use of Standard Mandarin as well. As such, Singlish does not
have an official dictionary. Its proponents suggest that it emphasizes Singapore’s
cultural diversity. They argue that it is an integral part of people’s lives, and is a hallmark
of Singapore’s culture. This local language allows Singaporeans to identify with each
other, even on foreign soil.
Eradicating Singlish is impossible regardless of the contention; its unique features make
it an important part of Singapore’s national identity. Despite its controversial nature,
Singlish is here to stay!