Fake Accents on TV and Radio
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Put it this way...i have to agree that some people, Djs get more heat because we hear their voice only...have very very fake accents. It's more likely from TV and a need to be different from others.
People are quite GIGO...listen to too much American on TV and sooner or later, you will sub-conciously try to sound American. What's worse is that the genral public think that that's cool. So with GIGO and public approval(to a certain extent) people will continue with what they do.
For me, i say if you can pull off an accent then go ahead. Especially for DJs, since your voice does your job for you. But the of course, if you can't just don't do it. I don;t mean to be critical here, but Mario of Power98 really gets on my nerves. I have no idea where his accent originates, but that doesn't matter. I have no idea what he's talking about.
And as for clear Singaporean english, for something more contemporary, try Jamie Yeo, Carrie Chong or even Glenn and the Flying Dutchman. They speak english that doesn't sound out of this world, can be classified as Singaporean, and most importantly, you actually understand what they are saying.
Thats what matters...getting your message across, not your I'm-trying-so-hard-to-impress accent. -
they should try hiring an indian who grew up in india and then comes over to live in essex for a few years. The result would be.... unlistenable i think.
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Yes, i agree with you. However, my observation is that many Singaporeans have been brainwashed to believe that:Originally posted by Guest_111:Good English has nothing to do with accents or what you end your sentences with. Every region or country has their unique way of speaking. The only thing that Singaporeans (I find) don't do is speak in complete/proper sentences. Too many shortcuts to the point where it's difficult to understand. especially longer conversations.
1) Having an accent denotes Good English, OR
2) You are a Geh Ang Moh.
And yes, i agree that many Singaporeans actually have a good standard of English. The problem arises when they take short cuts and ignore proper sentence structure, or mix languages, when speaking.
And yes, the problem with forcing people to speak proper english is that there are so many variations of english being spoken. Just try listening to Alex Fergusen during a post match interview!
Lee Hsien Loong was probably just trying to get the younger generation to identify with him - with disastrous results i might add. He makes himself sound silly. -
when the ang mohs here start saying "You is lazy, you is mean, I is smart" I start to worry for them also.
even ang moh also dun have perfect english, singaporeans not perfect also never mind la. -
i work in the transit in changi airport and i talk to many kinds of people from many countries. i'm not particularly good at identifying them from the countries they're from but a common question they ask me is ''where can i get a plan?''
one guy( i believe is from UK) asked me this and my first thought was he was asking where he could get a PLANT !
then i realised he was asking for a plan map of the airport...
gee.. plan plant plan plant plan plant...
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I also agree, the news with accent, i cant understand their english, better ask them speak standard english like goh chok tong or LKY, dont pretend like british or americanOriginally posted by mistyblue:change channel? listen to chinese channel...
How come no one complain some chinese channel got fake taiwanese/china accent.
Sigh... you remind me of the b!tch I have in class. one of the classmate has a yank accent. But she's in sales and whatever. I mean, she got accent, its her problem. This fat (and I mean fat cause she got an arse bigger than a bbq pit) b!tch go around complain about this classmate's accent like some damn big issue but never compain when the male classmates who speak with fake aussie/uk/us accent. She's just a real b!tch. -
I also agree, the news with accent, i cant understand their english, better ask them speak standard english like goh chok tong or LKY, dont pretend like british or americanOriginally posted by mistyblue:change channel? listen to chinese channel...
How come no one complain some chinese channel got fake taiwanese/china accent.
Sigh... you remind me of the b!tch I have in class. one of the classmate has a yank accent. But she's in sales and whatever. I mean, she got accent, its her problem. This fat (and I mean fat cause she got an arse bigger than a bbq pit) b!tch go around complain about this classmate's accent like some damn big issue but never compain when the male classmates who speak with fake aussie/uk/us accent. She's just a real b!tch. -
"coup" is pronounced as "coo", or something like tat lah...no need to say say out the "P"Originally posted by Deportivo:"coup" is pronounced as "coop"
nothing wrong there. -
Originally posted by SilverPal:Apparently, now barry wants them to do the hip-hop thing with their english, you dig?
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"plan" with a silent t is probably americanOriginally posted by elektra:i work in the transit in changi airport and i talk to many kinds of people from many countries. i'm not particularly good at identifying them from the countries they're from but a common question they ask me is ''where can i get a plan?''
one guy( i believe is from UK) asked me this and my first thought was he was asking where he could get a PLANT !
then i realised he was asking for a plan map of the airport...
gee.. plan plant plan plant plan plant... -
Ok post some common gramatical mistakes and get people to discuss them.Originally posted by mistyblue:.... maybe we need some english lesson threads...
Speaking good English is not about the accent of the person, but the sentence structure and grammar.
throughout the us and Uk you have people with hundreds of different accents but can speak english well.
The goverment i think is talking about mostly dropping the "lahs" "lors" and "ahhhss" that sinagporeans add to there sentences. I have been here three years, and cannot still see a pupose to add them to the end of a sentance -
It's ok to make grammatical mistakes because after all the rules of English language are very intricate. But one should always live up to what one claims to be and make a conscious effort to improve.
Singaporean's standard of English is average. And I'm talking about those school kids including NUS students. Try reading a term paper from one of these NUS students. You'll be amazed by how people can mix up "it's" and "its".
Alternatively, pick up a copy of Today which is an embarrassment for what is claims to be.
Grammar notwithstanding, I really have an issue with people who sprout fake accents like Vernon A and Suzanne Walker and people who curl their tongue so much when they pronounce "r" that you would think you are talking to a frog.
Also, my issue with people like Michael Martin (93.
and Michael Coop-win is this: why is MediaCorp spending so much money hiring all these angmohs who speak terribly when there are obvious better alternatives like Arnold Gay and the likes? -
I don't know of Michael Goodwin but I don't think Michael Martin speaks terribly. He also handles "Talk Back" (hope this is correct) very well. He checks people who rattle off course skilfully, effective and non-offensive, and summarises the different views succintly.Originally posted by Profounder:Also, my issue with people like Michael Martin (93. and Michael Coop-win is this: why is MediaCorp spending so much money hiring all these angmohs who speak terribly when there are obvious better alternatives like Arnold Gay and the likes?
I think one can only accuse non-native speakers of faking a US/UK accent but not the native speakers.
Like what iamsuper said speaking good English wasn't about the accent of the person, but the sentence structure and grammar. In Singapore our spoken English has been very much influenced our dialects and the other language we also speak, ie Mandarin. Many a time I've heard phrases like "This is what?", "You eat what?", "Where you go?" which I believe are literal translation from Mandarin. And the sad thing is many of our kids are speaking this way!
So, for the sake of our next generation, let us make an effort to speak proper English. -
I overheard a conversation in the train where the kid talked to her mother " where got like this one" this is literally a translation from the dialect or mandarin, whose fault is this? the parents's fault is the answer. Those parents whose English is sub standard, and they dare talk to their children this way, tell me how to improve EnglishOriginally posted by pearlie27:I don't know of Michael Goodwin but I don't think Michael Martin speaks terribly. He also handles "Talk Back" (hope this is correct) very well. He checks people who rattle off course skilfully, effective and non-offensive, and summarises the different views succintly.
I think one can only accuse non-native speakers of faking a US/UK accent but not the native speakers.
Like what iamsuper said speaking good English wasn't about the accent of the person, but the sentence structure and grammar. In Singapore our spoken English has been very much influenced our dialects and the other language we also speak, ie Mandarin. Many a time I've heard phrases like "This is what?", "You eat what?", "Where you go?" which I believe are literal translation from Mandarin. And the sad thing is many of our kids are speaking this way!
So, for the sake of our next generation, let us make an effort to speak proper English. -
corp is pronounced as cor without the p.and coup is pronounced as coo because it came from a french word.and the french don't pronounced the last alphabaet of the word unless its a C,R,F,L,Y and H
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ok next time they ask for plants go to the nearest potted plant and give him.Originally posted by elektra:i work in the transit in changi airport and i talk to many kinds of people from many countries. i'm not particularly good at identifying them from the countries they're from but a common question they ask me is ''where can i get a plan?''
one guy( i believe is from UK) asked me this and my first thought was he was asking where he could get a PLANT !
then i realised he was asking for a plan map of the airport...
gee.. plan plant plan plant plan plant...