Level of English here

[yctradingsg]

it's getting from bad to worse.

kids nowadays use singlish and sms lingo to such an astronomical extent that their everyday linguistic skills is being slurred.

i myself am guilty of speaking bad english sometimes but never when i'm talking to friends who communicate in english with me and also when i dine out.

Something has to be done to improve the standard of English here or we will soon be the laughing stock of others--especially those that we used to laugh at.

 

using singlish at the correct place and time is funny and cute.

However using it all the time is disgusting as well as damaging to a person's command of the English language.

[Raptor]

Am sure there are alot of bikers from other countries who visit this forum too.

 

And they probably think our command of the English language is deplorable and alot of us seem to lack proper education. Sadly this is the impression that is inevitably conveyed across.

 

I agree with Aldebaran that speaking Singlish may be cute and funny at times.. but the key words as mentioned is, done at the right time and place and may I add to the right kind of people. But an effort should be made to write proper English when the need arises.

 

People who have not met you face to face, tend to judge you by the way you write and present yourself.

 

Just my thoughts on this matter so no need to get the undies in knots over it.

[BlackDawn]

"Which break pad is best for my bike"

[archenemy]

My bike was once hit by a car. Luckily my aunt informed mi fast enough n managed to conform the driver for compensation

[archenemy]

Originally posted by Delusi0n@Jun 17 2006, 05:29 PM

wah lau.. where can say till like tat.. we speak is like tat one mah.. not all uni student leh.. no all go overboard to study.. so now is simi.. riders divided by how they speak english?

 

tat is rubbish...

 

anyway i feel tat its more being an option to post with style or just using 'wah lau eh' and such... if those who are deem as highclass, y not creat a forum for Uni/overseas english speaking bikers...

i already mentioned...

 

its neither the singlish nor the short forms...

 

wah lau eh...lah...all these are very fine with me..cos i use them also...

 

its the grammar and the spelling that is deplorable...

 

and not all uni students/graduates speak good english..

 

some of my friends who only has a O levels cert can speak better english than those uni grads...

[yctradingsg]

exactly archenemy.

i think it all starts from home. my family is english-speaking, so naturally i have a better command of this language. however, i loathe mandarin to the core! haha. that's just because my results are horrible. not all uni students speak good english. on the contrary, many of them speak terrible english, especially those in the engineering faculty.

i dunno how to help the country. I even have a hard time teaching those kiddos under me.

[Aie]

Originally posted by Aldebaran@Jun 18 2006, 06:58 PM

i dunno how to help the country. I even have a hard time teaching those kiddos under me.

We just do the best that we can. If they still can't get it, no point forcing it onto them...

[Lass]

at times i hv a bit of difficulty in trying to understand wat the forumer is trying to say.

[archenemy]

Originally posted by Aldebaran@Jun 18 2006, 06:58 PM

exactly archenemy.

i think it all starts from home. my family is english-speaking, so naturally i have a better command of this language. however, i loathe mandarin to the core! haha. that's just because my results are horrible. not all uni students speak good english. on the contrary, many of them speak terrible english, especially those in the engineering faculty.

i dunno how to help the country. I even have a hard time teaching those kiddos under me.

yeah...same here...i speak in english at home also...with some hokkien and chinese...

 

same things with friends too...english most of the time...

 

but i do have quite a good command of chinese also lah...thanks to me watching chinese dramas & news..

 

chinese dramas cos channel 8's programmes are much better than channel 5's productions...

 

chinese news cos of the timing...haha...after drama comes news...

 

but its english songs all the way for me...

[archenemy]

Originally posted by Lass@Jun 19 2006, 01:22 AM

at times i hv a bit of difficulty in trying to understand wat the forumer is trying to say.

precisely...

 

thats the point im trying to make...cos the purpose of any language is for people to communicate...

[LollyPoP]

ehh.. i go sch little, study not many.

[yctradingsg]

Originally posted by Aie@Jun 18 2006, 08:30 PM

We just do the best that we can. If they still can't get it, no point forcing it onto them...

it's my duty and job ma.

i always try my best. but if all else fails then i wave the white flag. haha

[yctradingsg]

aiyo lollypop, everyone will understand what you're trying to say dude.

[nights]

Instead of examining the English standard display in this forum, I would rather hope for more constructive posting than unconstructive. Usage of Singlish does show others our forum culture; appreciate the lingo adopted by our local citizen. It may not be standard English; others may even view it as an amalgamation of English and other local Asian dialects, but the truth is English and Singlish have already co-exist for years. One cannot deny the facts that Singlish have already been socially acceptable. What I would like to urges, felt free only to use Singlish with your family, friends and colleagues who know the language. At the same time, it is important to speak and understand Standard English so that we can understand the world and the world can understand us.

[archenemy]

Originally posted by nights@Jun 19 2006, 02:43 PM

Instead of examining the English standard display in this forum, I would rather hope for more constructive posting than unconstructive. Usage of Singlish does show others our forum culture; appreciate the lingo adopted by our local citizen. It may not be standard English; others may even view it as an amalgamation of English and other local Asian dialects, but the truth is English and Singlish have already co-exist for years. One cannot deny the facts that Singlish have already been socially acceptable. What I would like to urges, felt free only to use Singlish with your family, friends and colleagues who know the language. At the same time, it is important to speak and understand Standard English so that we can understand the world and the world can understand us.

yes...singlish is very ok....

 

it reflects our culture...its a common bonding language...yes...

 

firstly...define what we mean by singlish.

 

is it the addition of "lah", "wah lau" & other exclaimations to our sentences?

 

if it is...its totally acceptable. i also speak with all these..

 

or is it grammatically wrong sentences with atrocious spelling errors? is that singlish?

[MaraJade]

Originally posted by archenemy@Jun 19 2006, 03:23 PM

or is it grammatically wrong sentences with atrocious spelling errors? is that singlish?

erm, as I pointed out earlier, your signature is grammatically wrong as well. "Till" is a short form of "until", which makes your siggy read "you still have to wait until its safe until you can change lanes". Not to mention that it should have been "it's" instead of "its". This is definitely not a form of Singlish but a misuse of proper grammar. Which is fine since I'm sure everyone still understands what your sentence means, just like we all understand the examples of bad english you've pointed out. They may have used the wrong word or the wrong form of the word but can you say you don't understand what they're trying to put across? No one is perfect, and no one should impose their standards on others, unless of course, you're paying them their salary.

[nights]

Originally posted by archenemy@Jun 19 2006, 03:23 PM

yes...singlish is very ok....

 

it reflects our culture...its a common bonding language...yes...

 

firstly...define what we mean by singlish.

 

is it the addition of "lah", "wah lau" & other exclaimations to our sentences?

 

if it is...its totally acceptable. i also speak with all these..

 

or is it grammatically wrong sentences with atrocious spelling errors? is that singlish?

Dramatically, if you are interested in the definition of Singlish, felt free to check up the web. Chances are, you would probably hit upon the famous ‘wikipedia’ that would give you some insights.

 

Of course, if we were talking about grammar mistakes, I would advise you to take with a pinch of salt. I am sure it is not to the extreme that would hurt any grammar egoist. However, if you really feel the needs to voice out, you are free to do so.

 

Nevertheless, before you start your criticism, I do agree with MaraJade that you certainly need to revise your sentences in your signature.

 

No offence and cheers!

[Panther]

Originally posted by nights@Jun 19 2006, 02:43 PM

Instead of examining the English standard display in this forum, I would rather hope for more constructive posting than unconstructive.

I mentioned that as well Nights. It is outrageous, the way some of these people spam. They have no forum etiquette at all, even if it is a less governed forum in such aspects than most.

 

I got no problem with it most of the time, like double posts to reply to two different posts, because they may not want to fit everything in one post and here the culture is like that, so I respect that. But totally useless posts, and also those ongoing between just two people at any one time for like ten posts or more, irritate the hell out of me. Not sure if other forum readers view it the same way, but I post on several international forums and they are all hell bent on etiquette and quality posting.

[w1n6]

the problem is ones drink wine, the others drink beer... they dun mix. is its true that people who drinks wine is of higher class??

[DM]

i no go skool. my englisch bad. can i post in dis folum? i wood rally wang to lurn abuot motobykes allso bud do peepel undastand my english?

[Panther]

Being sarcastic is not the point. Obviously those who post sarcastic posts here miss the actual point being made. If all you want to do is be sarcastic there is no need to even post here.

[hmm_]

Originally posted by Aldebaran@Jun 18 2006, 06:58 PM

exactly archenemy.

i think it all starts from home. my family is english-speaking, so naturally i have a better command of this language. however, i loathe mandarin to the core! haha. that's just because my results are horrible. not all uni students speak good english. on the contrary, many of them speak terrible english, especially those in the engineering faculty.

i dunno how to help the country. I even have a hard time teaching those kiddos under me.

a typical ah beng from an english speaking family?...that's a rare sight...haha....

[L3stat]

I agree that the general level is bad, especially grammar. But I guess if you can get the point across, the delivery doesn't really matter. You can read a poorly worded post, but still understand it, so that's fine.

 

It's pretty hard to generalise or try find the reason for "bad" English used. There're so many factors at play, demographics, preferences, habits, you name it. Some can speak and write perfect English, but choose not to for various reasons, or get careless. So long's people understand each other, let's not get too critical at bad English unless we're going to something about it to help (assuming it's needed), shall we? Lest we get labelled as snobs.

[FuLL of SoRRoW]

Originally posted by l3stat@Jun 21 2006, 12:30 PM

I agree that the general level is bad, especially grammar. But I guess if you can get the point across, the delivery doesn't really matter. You can read a poorly worded post, but still understand it, so that's fine.

 

It's pretty hard to generalise or try find the reason for "bad" English used. There're so many factors at play, demographics, preferences, habits, you name it. Some can speak and write perfect English, but choose not to for various reasons, or get careless. So long's people understand each other, let's not get too critical at bad English unless we're going to something about it to help (assuming it's needed), shall we? Lest we get labelled as snobs.

my sentiments exactly...

 

do u know what kind of look i get when i speak proper english?

 

this --->

 

and it doesnt occur once or twice but many a times...

it does hurt my feelings for people who dont know me that well

always assume that i'm snobbish

 

but i'm just an ordinary girl who always frequent the coffeeshops.

 

i used to always speak english..

and everytime i get people

telling me...

wassup with the english.. u malay right... speak malay lah...

u singaporean rite... speak like a singaporean lah...

or i dont understand u.. dont speak so chim ley...

 

and now...

i speak like any ordinary singaporean and this thread comes about..

hehehe...

 

there was an incident...

i was just talking singlish and speaking like a BIMBO..

and this fella in the group...

a new friend..

questioned me about stuff...

since he was talking as though his ENGLISH was so perfect...

i stunned him by answering properly and even saying words that he didnt know existed that he had to ask for the meanings..

he said...

"i'm impressed.. the way u talk at first doesnt show your intellectual level..

pardon me... now do i know that i should never assume. i guess as long as we understand one another.. that is all that matters."

 

i guess we cant please everyone rite..

but wat he said, about as long as we understand each other... that really matters,

that my friends... is really important.

[jinhanz]

This is a very interesting question. It reminds me of the time i try to communicate with some other people in the UK aprilia fourmn, none of them understood what i am trying to say. haha It really depends on who you are speaking to.