Singapore Expats

Althought the origin at the top is almost certainly false, the rest of this is pretty funny.

If you think Singlish is bad, it's worth remembering that other cultures also have nonstandard versions of English.

http://www.slurb.com/rfrancis/ebonics.html

Ecka Dimmock wrote:Althought the origin at the top is almost certainly false, the rest of this is pretty funny.

If you think Singlish is bad, it's worth remembering that other cultures also have nonstandard versions of English.

http://www.slurb.com/rfrancis/ebonics.html

It's rather funny, but it's not another culture, it's a product of lack of education and nothing more. Condi doesn't speak like that, neither did Martin Luther King, or Colin Powell nor do most people who finished school. What Culture are you talking about? (or did you really mean sub-culture?)

sms

sub-cultures in Japan are really fascinating as well!!!

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

Ecka Dimmock wrote:Althought the origin at the top is almost certainly false, the rest of this is pretty funny.

If you think Singlish is bad, it's worth remembering that other cultures also have nonstandard versions of English.

http://www.slurb.com/rfrancis/ebonics.html

It's rather funny, but it's not another culture, it's a product of lack of education and nothing more. Condi doesn't speak like that, neither did Martin Luther King, or Colin Powell nor do most people who finished school. What Culture are you talking about? (or did you really mean sub-culture?)

sms

Depends on what you mean by culture, I guess. Singlish is undoubtedly a product of Singapore, yet not all Singaporeans speak it. (You certainly don't hear Goh Chok Tong or LKY delivering speeches in it). In the US, there has been a serious move to use Ebonics as the medium of instruction in some schools, though this has been resisted by White and Black alike, as rather than removing social barriers it's likely to reinforce them.

By the way, I disagree that Black English is a product of "lack of education and nothing more". It has its own history, grammar and community, and like any dialect exists to create identity and group cohesion.

None of this should be taken as approval of B.I.G.'s brain-dead, misogynist drivel, of course. I am distinguishing the medium from the message.

Ecka Dimmock wrote:By the way, I disagree that Black English is a product of "lack of education and nothing more". It has its own history, grammar and community, and like any dialect exists to create identity and group cohesion.

You are partially correct here. It's history is due to the fact that a drug pusher can earn more than a PhD in the gettos therefore a high dropout rate. The community is the getto's of the major american cities and the identity was due to no/low education so in order to talk with each other the language decended to the lowest common denominator. Just like your "Singlish" here. The lowest common denominator. The cream rises above this. But it is, in no way, the culture but a product of education or lack of in this case. (I have listened to the qualities of speech in neighbourhood schools English Programs here and am appalled {my son goes to one!} vrs upper class schools like CHIJ Toh Payoh where my daughter went to school) and the quality of teachers in innercity getto schools in the US are just the same except it's because everybody else is afraid to teach in those areas. Therefore the problem becomes self perpetuating.

And along the same lines, here's a translation of 50 Cent's "In Da Club", including quotes from Cicero:

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1447155

Nice video..

Subject: BUSHY-isms


Can the English language survive?

"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country. "
- George W. Bush

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
- George W. Bush

" One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that
one word is 'to be prepared'. "
- George W. Bush

"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in
the future. "
- George W. Bush

" The future will be better tomorrow."
George W. Bush

" We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."
- George W. Bush

" I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."
- George W. Bush

"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a
firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."
- George W. Bush

" Public speaking is very easy."
- George W. Bush

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the
polls. "
- George W. Bush

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur. "
- George W. Bush

"For NASA, space is still a high priority. "
- George W. Bush

"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our
children.
"
- George W. Bush

" It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities
in our air and water that are doing it. "
- George W. Bush

" It's time for the human race to enter the solar system. "
- George W. Bush

I'd disagree with you Ecka - it's not being widely taught, nor is it widely accepted as a 'language' or even dialect.

I have not met anyone in the US who accepts this as a communication medium except for in music.

It is NOT black english - the few blacks I know would thump you righteously if you were to say that in their presence.

It has its own history, grammar

History? How so? Grammar? Puuuuleeeaaazzzee! it doe not have it's own grammar and was only mooted as a possible language option for education by whacko PC lefties who wanted to 'help' the black man. Yup, help him to NOT get a job, help him to NOT be able to communcate with anyone aside from their criminal 'brothers'.

Oh, the idea of teaching it and in it is no longer a popular one as it has turned 360 degrees and is now touted as just another way for the white man to keep the black man down . . .

What a wonderful world we live in.

jpatokal wrote:And along the same lines, here's a translation of 50 Cent's "In Da Club", including quotes from Cicero:

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1447155

I don't enjoy rap music..but gosh! that lyric is outrageously demeaning and criminally illegal!

Is there no law against it? To think that kids are listening to his music at a young age... It's a scary thought....

Ling2 wrote:I don't enjoy rap music..but gosh! that lyric is outrageously demeaning and criminally illegal!

Is there no law against it? To think that kids are listening to his music at a young age... It's a scary thought....

Alamak, what a Singaporean reaction. If you don't like it, don't listen to it, instead of trying to stop everybody else from listening to it... is it any wonder there are no famous Singaporean bands and the whole bloody island's only cultural export is Annabel Chong?