Singapore Expats

Living in Singapore, you can't help but be totally immersed in the local culture. I drink Tiger beer on occasion, get extra chili sauce for my chicken rice, drink my kopi-o kosong. There are many aspects of the country that has become part of my daily life. The part that scares me is local language sometimes slips out like word vomit when I speak. What Singlish phrases do you find yourself saying? I wanted to browse through older posts to see if there were similar topics, but too lazy lah.

Can (cancan, also can etc), Cannot, Cananot and Lah occasionally pop out.

I quite like Can, it's decisive and simple, cancan seems to please the locals when they ask for something, alsocan is more of a mickey take.

Cannot is a bit cumbersome and usually wrong for the context, I hate it, this is probably my word vomit.

Lah/ah/arrggh - sometimes it helps to use this when telling someone something in a taxi. Punggol Uncle arrrggg

oh yeah and Auntie and Uncle for old folks who clean up and drive taxis generally since I work and live in very "non-local" places, these seem to be the only old folk I come across.

What about you? still speak queens English izzit?

nutnut wrote:oh yeah and Auntie and Uncle for old folks who clean up and drive taxis generally since I work and live in very "non-local" places, these seem to be the only old folk I come across.

That's for you

For me, I'd address you as 'uncle'

Of course, me, I've already been called gramps by the lynx!

But of course I can be thankful, I guess, as she hasn't resorted to ah pek yet!

sundaymorningstaple wrote:ah pek

"That's what she said!"

the lynx wrote:

nutnut wrote:oh yeah and Auntie and Uncle for old folks who clean up and drive taxis generally since I work and live in very "non-local" places, these seem to be the only old folk I come across.

That's for you

For me, I'd address you as 'uncle'

I'm not as old as Gramps Lynx! I'm still a youngster Cannot call me uncle lah

nutnut wrote:

the lynx wrote:

nutnut wrote:oh yeah and Auntie and Uncle for old folks who clean up and drive taxis generally since I work and live in very "non-local" places, these seem to be the only old folk I come across.

That's for you

For me, I'd address you as 'uncle'

I'm not as old as Gramps Lynx! I'm still a youngster Cannot call me uncle lah

Trust me, I am that young. Heck, SMS even told me himself that he's old enough to be my gramps.

Off and On as verbs...

'On the fan please'. 'Off the TV'.

I like it - very short and precise.

'Why so like that?' is another favourite.

Waaargh! as an exclamatory is useful.

xandersdad1 wrote:Living in Singapore, you can't help but be totally immersed in the local culture. I drink Tiger beer on occasion, get extra chili sauce for my chicken rice, drink my kopi-o kosong. There are many aspects of the country that has become part of my daily life. The part that scares me is local language sometimes slips out like word vomit when I speak. What Singlish phrases do you find yourself saying? I wanted to browse through older posts to see if there were similar topics, but too lazy lah.

If you're familiar with Hokkian and Melayu, things are even better: "beh sai" (cannot), "beh tahan" (cannot take it), "kns" (kena sai, or sh*t happens), "kena scold" (scolded), and many more

the lynx wrote:

nutnut wrote:

the lynx wrote: That's for you

For me, I'd address you as 'uncle'

I'm not as old as Gramps Lynx! I'm still a youngster Cannot call me uncle lah

Trust me, I am that young. Heck, SMS even told me himself that he's old enough to be my gramps.

Oh OK! in which case then I didn't realise, I took you as a similar age to me I guess. - the wonders of the internet, I can call you young lady then

nutnut wrote:

the lynx wrote:

nutnut wrote: I'm not as old as Gramps Lynx! I'm still a youngster Cannot call me uncle lah

Trust me, I am that young. Heck, SMS even told me himself that he's old enough to be my gramps.

Oh OK! in which case then I didn't realise, I took you as a similar age to me I guess. - the wonders of the internet, I can call you young lady then

Or 'ah girl' like how other older uncles and aunties would address me

nutnut wrote:

the lynx wrote:

nutnut wrote: I'm not as old as Gramps Lynx! I'm still a youngster Cannot call me uncle lah

Trust me, I am that young. Heck, SMS even told me himself that he's old enough to be my gramps.

Oh OK! in which case then I didn't realise, I took you as a similar age to me I guess. - the wonders of the internet, I can call you young lady then

Lynx, are you that young to consider it as a complement or as a woman, young but sufficiently older to consider it as an insult?

She's actually young enough to be my granddaughter. Doesn't mean she's a child however. Definitely NOT!

Just says that I'll be 65 on Saturday!

I'm scientifically young enough to be your grandson SMS, I'm 34, it would be tight, but I've heard of 30 year old grandfathers in the UK.

Ok Gramps?

Lynx from now I will just refer to you as "girl" like the Indian Aunties and Uncles do, I find that charming to be honest!

nutnut wrote:I'm scientifically young enough to be your grandson SMS, I'm 34, it would be tight, but I've heard of 30 year old grandfathers in the UK.

Ok Gramps?

Lynx from now I will just refer to you as "girl" like the Indian Aunties and Uncles do, I find that charming to be honest!

I'm close to a decade younger than you

Similarly the Chinese uncles and aunties also use "ah girl", while the Malays would use "adik" or "dik" (little sister).

x9200 wrote:Lynx, are you that young to consider it as a complement or as a woman, young but sufficiently older to consider it as an insult?

Good question --- neither. I get those remarks A LOT so never really bother me. I believe SMS can vouch for me in that department.