While English is the dominant language in Singapore, and the language of instruction, it is no surprise that some words may be very different. Here are some examples that I will be adding to throughout the semester.
Lah - the most common expression in Singlish. Used at the end of sentences for emphasis much like the Canadian 'eh.'
Leh - a useless (but addictive) word to end your sentences with. *Thanks Crystal!*
Mugging - does not mean robbing someone of their money. No, it means to cram for an exam or study really hard as in "Hey dude, I've been mugging all night!"
Wah Lau! - can mean a couple of different things depending on the usage. It can mean "oh my goodness" or "damn!" as in "Wah lau eh! How can you do this sort of thing to me?" Or it can mean "wow", as in "My first thought when I saw her was 'wah lau eh'."
Xian Diao - pronounced "see-an teow" this phrase means "I'm bored or unmotivated" due to an excessive workload, burnout, that occurs during the final year of completion of a university degree. *Thanks Sophia*
Sian Diao - see Xian Diao
Raised zebra crossing - a crosswalk.
Shiok - Fantastic or superb.
Mamboing - dancing at a club such as "I'm going mamboing tonight, want to come?"
CNY - Chinese New Year (while this may seem obvious, CNY means Central New York to me! Go 'Cuse!)
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1 comment:
hi kate!!
am i the first to comment? =D YAY! ops time for lesson now. actually i feel weird commenting while you are beside me. =P great job with the singlish words, let me add one more to your collection:
leh - a useless(but addictive) word to end your sentences with.
Example: "I wanna eat a burger later leh." or "But I have nothing to do now leh." and so on... =)
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