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October 12, 2009

Singling Out Singlish Part 4: Linguistically Getting the Job Done

uniquely-singapore-4.gifThe tiny Republic of Singapore (only 699 km²) has been independent only since1965. Current citizens are the descendants of immigrants from mainly China and India as well as the local indigenous race, the Malays, who also make up the populations of nearby Malaysia and Indonesia. This Asian culture, again, is reflected in Singlish.

It creates characters that reflect Asian cultural attitudes and habits:

  • Ah Beng and Ah Lian - these are traditional Chinese names but increasingly, Singaporeans are going for western names deemed more sophisticated and international, like Kristine (not even with a C!) or Marc (not even with a K.) So an Ah Beng is an unsophisticated Chinese boy who stereotypically speaks gutter Chinese, likes neon-coloured clothes, spiky, gelled hair and conspicuously displays accessories such as his cell-phone. It's someone who thinks he is in the forefront of fashion - brands hang heavily on him - but is actually completely lacking in taste. The female version is Ah Lian. "Did they actually go on a package shopping tour to Guangzhou? That's just so Ah Beng!" (Guangzhou is a city in southern China famous for factories mass producing cheap products, some of which are imitations of brands)

  • Auntie - a respectful way of addressing an elderly lady in Singapore, be she an acquaintance or a total stranger. The male version is naturally Uncle. There will be a lot of aunties and uncles in Singapore. "Auntie, very crowded here. You don mind - please queue here!" says shop assistant to old woman. Asians had the global village mindset long before the west popularised the phrase.

Increasingly, Singlish is common to all. A local publisher has published an entertaining, descriptive guide called The Coxford Singlish Dictionary, an obvious pun on the esteemed Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

Sadly, the government seems bent on banning it from all official publications and broadcasting. Writers, filmmakers, playwrights and teachers have been discouraged from using it. Ironically, the online edition of the OED included two Singlish words from day one: the particle lah which can express infinite nuances of emotions and the word sinseh meaning a physician or an herbalist.

The Brits use questions tags: "It's hot, isn't it?" And Americans love their tongue-in-cheek, "Am I the smartest or what?" Likewise, endings such as 'lah', 'meh', 'ah', 'man', 'or what' are the salt, the flavour, the very essence of Singlish:

  • "You don't know this meh? " (expressing surprise, disgust among some other twenty emotions)
  • "Eh, come with us lah! " (persuasion, but also resignation, irritation among some other 30 emotions)

  • "You coming or not, ah?" (likewise)

  • "Wah, this test is really tough, man." (and it usually means just that)

  • "You want to buy this or what?"("You want to buy this or not?")

Supporters claim that Singlish will persevere simply because it does exactly what it is supposed to do. Can you get any clearer than 'You come or not?" After all, Singlish is language of the people, by the people, for the people, er, lah....

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Posted by Diane Prange at October 12, 2009 8:37 AM
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