What???!!! OMG
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english is the language of administration. in a way, u cannot have 4 national language mah... so u pick the LEAST political sensitive one, and name the rest "languages of administration" recognised by the gov't...Originally posted by shirurinu:Singapore's national language is Malay...
So english is consider wat? 1st language?
If national language is Malay, y aren't Malay a compulsary language? Irony isn't it...
no confusion really... if u look at timor leste' national language, its portuguese... and hardly anybody speaks it there
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blur ... we have four races in Singapore so is everyone is fair here... that why there four Official languages.Originally posted by SibeiSuayKia:Sorry pple i dunno my national language is malay..
umm.....................
Funny wor..i all the way thought it's english/chinese..
lucky I know some Official languages I am a true Singaporean. 
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Portuguese was the national language because timor was the colonial master before. We didn't want to use english as national language cause we are not under the queen anymore. Could not use chinese though there is chinese majority cause we don't want to be seen as the third china. Malay was the official language because we were part of Malaysia when we first became independent. But most importantly in the sixties there were riots between the Chinese and Malays. Replacing malay as the national language will......Originally posted by CX:english is the language of administration. in a way, u cannot have 4 national language mah... so u pick the LEAST political sensitive one, and name the rest "languages of administration" recognised by the gov't...
no confusion really... if u look at timor leste' national language, its portuguese... and hardly anybody speaks it there
The only real language of adminstration has always been english, if you don't know english, you jia gargi. got GCE O level can become officer in government, but with degree from taiwan or india, you still clerks only. -
Singaporean Chinese no need to learn Malay, right?
So, most of the Singaporean Chinese now can't speak/understand Malay?
When talk to Malay, you all speak English?
I am Malaysian Chinese. -
we all speak english... if THAT's what u really wanna know...Originally posted by burntan:Singaporean Chinese no need to learn Malay, right?
So, most of the Singaporean Chinese now can't speak/understand Malay?
When talk to Malay, you all speak English?
I am Malaysian Chinese.
in the presence of friends from difference ethnic groups, we all switch to "channel 5" ... that is, english mode. its quite instinctive...
most of us believe it to be insensitive and rude to speak in languages that not everyone in the audience understands... to me, it makes it seem like u got something to hide...
besides, in a work setting, it is best to speak the language everyone is most comfortable with and which everybody understands. it cuts down confusion. and most times, it is english... -
That's mean all Singaporean familiar with English, right? If Ang Mo come to Singapore, they should have no problem at all to communicate with anyone, right?Originally posted by CX:we all speak english... if THAT's what u really wanna know...
in the presence of friends from difference ethnic groups, we all switch to "channel 5" ... that is, english mode. its quite instinctive...
most of us believe it to be insensitive and rude to speak in languages that not everyone in the audience understands... to me, it makes it seem like u got something to hide...
besides, in a work setting, it is best to speak the language everyone is most comfortable with and which everybody understands. it cuts down confusion. and most times, it is english...
How about Mandarin? Is it common in Singapore? If I only know Mandarin, am I facing any difficulty in Singapore? -
ang mo can come and end up hating it too... it has nothing to do with the language.Originally posted by burntan:That's mean all Singaporean familiar with English, right? If Ang Mo come to Singapore, they should have no problem at all to communicate with anyone, right?
How about Mandarin? Is it common in Singapore? If I only know Mandarin, am I facing any difficulty in Singapore?
i think if u go anywhere in the world with a closed mind, u'll always have problems... i know pple who speak perfect classroom french but can't quite adjust to Paris...
many pple speak mandarin here... at the very least, u can still find your way around and order food but i assure u, if u are working here, then u won't get tremendously far unless u deal exclusively with mainland chinese... -
You are right, we are familiar with English. Basically Singlish is developed from English. Many angmohs have hard time understanding singlish. The non english natives such as french and german will try to understand but the brits say we adulterated their language. The yankees will do most of the talking so they don't really care if they understand you.Originally posted by burntan:That's mean all Singaporean familiar with English, right? If Ang Mo come to Singapore, they should have no problem at all to communicate with anyone, right?
How about Mandarin? Is it common in Singapore? If I only know Mandarin, am I facing any difficulty in Singapore?
Mandarin is spoken commonly, especially outside offices. You will have no problem moving around. A mainland Chinese who knew only Mandarin told me once it was easier to be in Singapore than in HK. If you are in business, of course you need english to deal all the angmoh, the Jap and the Korean. If you are dealing with the Indonesian Chinese, Taiwanese and the mainland chinese, you better know mandarin. If you are dealing with the government, you can use any of the four official languages here, especially in departments like immigrations.
If you know only english, you will go wide. If you know english and mandarin, you go wide and deep. If you know english, mandarin and malay, then you go wide, deep and far, (you need that to be PM). If you know english, mandarin, malay and tamil, you are a true true singaporean. Singapore is a multiracial society -
How about Cantonese? Common or not?Originally posted by sgdiehard:You are right, we are familiar with English. Basically Singlish is developed from English. Many angmohs have hard time understanding singlish. The non english natives such as french and german will try to understand but the brits say we adulterated their language. The yankees will do most of the talking so they don't really care if they understand you.
Mandarin is spoken commonly, especially outside offices. You will have no problem moving around. A mainland Chinese who knew only Mandarin told me once it was easier to be in Singapore than in HK. If you are in business, of course you need english to deal all the angmoh, the Jap and the Korean. If you are dealing with the Indonesian Chinese, Taiwanese and the mainland chinese, you better know mandarin. If you are dealing with the government, you can use any of the four official languages here, especially in departments like immigrations.
If you know only english, you will go wide. If you know english and mandarin, you go wide and deep. If you know english, mandarin and malay, then you go wide, deep and far, (you need that to be PM). If you know english, mandarin, malay and tamil, you are a true true singaporean. Singapore is a multiracial society
Walk around shopping, ordering foods, buy tickets to place of interest...etc like a tourist, but know only Cantonese can survive or not? -
If you are ah poh speaking only cantonese, many people will come and help you.Originally posted by burntan:How about Cantonese? Common or not?
Walk around shopping, ordering foods, buy tickets to place of interest...etc like a tourist, but know only Cantonese can survive or not?
All dialects are not so common, especially among the young people, but you won't die as long as you have money. Buy food that time, just pay and take what they give you, don't need to talk. Got no money even you speak enlish also won survive. -
My mum can't speak English.Originally posted by burntan:How about Mandarin? Is it common in Singapore? If I only know Mandarin, am I facing any difficulty in Singapore? -
Cantonese is Ipoh,HongKong,GuangZhou.. etc..Originally posted by burntan:How about Cantonese? Common or not?
Walk around shopping, ordering foods, buy tickets to place of interest...etc like a tourist, but know only Cantonese can survive or not?
M'sia chinese other dialect is cantonese..cuz i got a few m'sia chinese frens
their sense of fashion really jialat lol..
I prefer speaking english....rather then mandarin..
Singaporean other den speaking mandarin..speaks..hokkien
to test whether they speak hokkien..just go anywhere ..
shout out "CCB" and u will know the answer if people look at you. -
si ginna mai luan luan gong!!Originally posted by SibeiSuayKia:Cantonese is Ipoh,HongKong,GuangZhou.. etc..
M'sia chinese other dialect is cantonese..cuz i got a few m'sia chinese frens
their sense of fashion really jialat lol..
I prefer speaking english....rather then mandarin..
Singaporean other den speaking mandarin..speaks..hokkien
to test whether they speak hokkien..just go anywhere ..
shout out "CCB" and u will know the answer if people look at you. -
Ask you got speak Cantonese or not, you talk about Hokkien??!!Originally posted by SibeiSuayKia:Cantonese is Ipoh,HongKong,GuangZhou.. etc..
M'sia chinese other dialect is cantonese..cuz i got a few m'sia chinese frens
their sense of fashion really jialat lol..
I prefer speaking english....rather then mandarin..
Singaporean other den speaking mandarin..speaks..hokkien
to test whether they speak hokkien..just go anywhere ..
shout out "CCB" and u will know the answer if people look at you.
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ccb pronounced as c.c.b won't do harm..
unless dumb enuf lor lollllllll
den i really nothing to say lol -
kanina pua chee bye... can u keep your sh|t-forsaken ignorance to yourself!Originally posted by SibeiSuayKia:ccb pronounced as c.c.b won't do harm..
unless dumb enuf lor lollllllll
den i really nothing to say lol
u are talking cock understand! i tolerated that and wrote it off as childish behavior before...
NOW, i am sick and tired of your childish STUPID behavior.
go jerk off to some scat porn site... THINK before u post... people are SICK to death of your stupid replies. -
wtf, i'm not a true singaporean???Originally posted by sgdiehard:If you know only english, you will go wide. If you know english and mandarin, you go wide and deep. If you know english, mandarin and malay, then you go wide, deep and far, (you need that to be PM). If you know english, mandarin, malay and tamil, you are a true true singaporean. Singapore is a multiracial society 
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Is it the only compulsory language to learn in school is English?
A Singaporean only know English already enough to do anything in Singapore, right? -
Yeap, English is the media of education.Originally posted by burntan:Is it the only compulsory language to learn in school is English?
A Singaporean only know English already enough to do anything in Singapore, right?
And you should have no problem in Singapore if you speak only English, except for maybe the neighbour market where the Ah Mas and Ah Peks selling vegetable/Fish/Meat maybe cannot speak English at all. But you can always go supermarket to buy those stuff. -
Then the new generation of Singaporean should be very good in English.... BTW, Singapore got school (primary & secondary) using mandarin as teaching media or not?Originally posted by Qitai:Yeap, English is the media of education.
And you should have no problem in Singapore if you speak only English, except for maybe the neighbour market where the Ah Mas and Ah Peks selling vegetable/Fish/Meat maybe cannot speak English at all. But you can always go supermarket to buy those stuff. -
It is also compulsory for kids to learn a second language, usually the mother tongue of the students. So generally we have chinese learning chinese, malays students learning malay and Indians learning tamil. English is the language for mass comm and for business. Mother tongue is the language to enable the different races to maintain their respective cultures.Originally posted by burntan:Is it the only compulsory language to learn in school is English?
A Singaporean only know English already enough to do anything in Singapore, right?
This is pretty successful among the Malays and the Indians, for all young Malays speak Malay and English (except for those who attend Madrasa!), and Indians speak Tamil and English. But for the Chinese the success is less. Many chinese now think they are speaking english when they speak 80%singlish+20%mandarin, or 80%mandarin+20%english and thought that they were speaking mandarin. Many parents, mostly those from english monolinguo family, migrate to auzi, canada or us because their children can't tahan chinese. But language is part of cultures and you are witnessing the evolution of the singaporean cultures. Welcome to Singapore.
I don't think English is "enough" to do "anything" anywhere, except probable in US, Canada, Aus and NZ. In certain places, speaking english could mean you pay more! What is this "anything" that you want to do? -
No comments on the first statement.Originally posted by burntan:Then the new generation of Singaporean should be very good in English.... BTW, Singapore got school (primary & secondary) using mandarin as teaching media or not? --> See above reply. But generally speaking, Singapore do speak better English than most other asian countires.
Since many many years ago (don't remember the year, but at least 20+ years), it was made compusory to use English as the media of education, so you are right. Mandarin is not use as a media of education. It is only teach as a subject on it's own. So, if you start talking about zhi jiao (Right Angle) or bian yi xi su (Standard error), very very few people will understand what you are talking about.
(Hmm.... wait, there is actually one, religious study - confucious can be teach in Mandarin last I remember when I am in school, but that might be already scrapped) -
Since Singaporean Chinese can't understand Malay, so they can't hire Indonesian maid loh....then usually Singaporean hire Philipino maid?
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It depends from family to family I think. Some families have people who can speak simple Malays. Some adapt and learn a little bit of Malay. Some Indonesia maid are young and can learn pretty fast and can speak simple English. Some take the easy way out and get a Philipino maid. Some gets neighbour's help when the maid cannot understand what they want. So, really depends.Originally posted by burntan:Since Singaporean Chinese can't understand Malay, so they can't hire Indonesian maid loh....then usually Singaporean hire Philipino maid? -
wat is it abt singapore???