Level of English here

[miss]

Communication is effective when there're aren't any problems understanding one another..

 

I can stand a bit of grammatical, spelling errors and short-forms..

 

But when an entire paragraph consist of haphazardly written stories with shortforms,grammar and spelling errors...really cannot tahan ah...

 

Some enjoy writing lIkE Th|s...

 

Some wil sae tt dey dun tink dey riting nonsen as lng as pple cn understd wad dey sayg

 

Some rambels on and on and on without proper speeling or grammer rules and disregard their fullstops comas exclaimation marks and their storeis neber seems 2 b ending one somehw asooming people understandg their words until people read oso no enuff mood 2 finish readin liao

 

Well, it's individual preference. But i'm a sucker for well-spoken english. Will skip reads with terrible, incomprehensible and indecipherable language as italisized above.

[rhema83]

Here are my two cents:

 

I think it is perfectly fine when someone makes minor grammatical or spelling errors of little importance, especially when the meaning of the sentence is very clear to the average reader. An example of such a sentence is "Eat already or not? Let's go makan dinner." You can write "Eaten already? Let's go for dinner." but both versions are clear to the reader.

 

However, it is unacceptable when people use uncommon accronyms in poorly constructed sentences. I don't think the languange used qualifies as Singlish. I did not understand what some forumers were writing because they use uncommon accronyms very liberally in their already difficult-to-understand sentences.

 

I know the bottom line is to communicate your point to your audience. Please write in English or Singlish, using only common accronyms, for the sake of both the readers and yourself! What is the point of you posting if your reader is not going to understand you?

 

I am not saying that if you use Singlish daily, you are uneducated. Like many have pointed out, the uncle at the coffee shop may not know that "rice vermicelli in soup" means "bee hoon tng". However, we all need to know proper English so that we are able to speak or write it when the occasion requires. What I see is that many Singaporeans do NOT know enough English to write a good essay or a good report. Even some of the reports I read at work are poorly written.

 

By the way, I agree that many undergraduates and graduates in Singapore have poor command of the English language.

[archenemy]

guys, one gpr or mhr full face helment will be around how much ah? can tell me the price range? and which shop got most full face helment sell?

=============================================

 

a post by 1 of the forummer here...

 

yes we will understand what he is trying to say...

 

but please...helment??

[L3stat]

Different strokes for different folks! Seriously guys, we can gripe, but unless we're going to do something about it (and again, assuming it's needed), let's just keep quiet. Don't like the way someone writes? Bad English? Don't read, move on. Less heartache, stress and trouble. If you start correcting people, no one will thank you, but similar people will lynch you for being a snob, being presumptious, taking a better-than-you attitude etc.

 

Does it really matter? Maybe this has been raised before, but this is a bike forum. I guess most people gather here generally for one main topic: bikes. I fully understand that some of us would prefer to read well-worded, well-written, correct English, but maybe this is not the place to get that dose? As with most other "interest-groups", unless this is a "Speak Good English" or "Cunning Linguists" () forum, or if there's some empirical evidence to suggest that people who like bikes generally have a better command of English, you're going to get that range.

 

And really, content is more important than delivery. Investment bankers are great at spin, and lots of it. But you'll realise sometimes, that that's all there is. Do you choose your friends by the way they speak / their level of English? I'm hoping not.

 

Edit: in a "good Engrish" thread, better clean up a bit!

[wait4me]

yes to all english speaking people...

 

 

 

people nickname us> eat potato??

[wait4me]

Originally posted by FuLL of SoRRoW@Jun 24 2006, 01:38 AM

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.

humm....

sounds like another female biker tat i know of...

[Raptor]

There is no excuse for poor English or grammar. Period.

 

It is just the same as there is no excuse for poor Mandarin.

[Aie]

Originally posted by FuLL of SoRRoW@Jun 24 2006, 01:38 AM

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.

This scenario just goes to prove that you have to code switch to the level of the intellect or lack of it of the friends you talk to when you are around them. You can't be speaking proper, high standard English to those Mat Rockers, Minah Rockers, Ah Bengs or Ah Lians friends. They will look at you damn blur like you are speaking in a foreign language to them. the guy you mentioned, couldn't possibly be me right? Cos I know we understand each other perfectly when we speak...

[Constructicon]

How we speak to our friends? Perfect english? No rite...

 

I suppose that's why we also post so-called substandard english in this forum.

Becos we feel this forum is a gathering of like-minded friends, hence the informal singlish mesages.

I do not see anything wrong with that.

 

However, there are some messages which we all came across before that are really horrible to the point that many of us do not even understand what the thread starter is trying to say.

 

Essentially, c'mon...we can live with real awful drivers who cannot drive, speeding smokey trucks and suicidal bikers, surely we can live with the english here. Who are we to impose or comment on others' comand of english anyway...

[Panther]

I suppose it should come as no surprise that I gave up reading halfway through this post.

 

Off-topic: Constructicon, I just love your signature image. I played Road Rash 2 myself.

[L3stat]

Originally posted by Constructicon@Jun 26 2006, 10:22 AM

Essentially, c'mon...we can live with real awful drivers who cannot drive, speeding smokey trucks and suicidal bikers, surely we can live with the english here. Who are we to impose or comment on others' comand of english anyway...

[FuLL of SoRRoW]

Originally posted by Aie@Jun 26 2006, 09:00 AM

This scenario just goes to prove that you have to code switch to the level of the intellect or lack of it of the friends you talk to when you are around them. You can't be speaking proper, high standard English to those Mat Rockers, Minah Rockers, Ah Bengs or Ah Lians friends. They will look at you damn blur like you are speaking in a foreign language to them. the guy you mentioned, couldn't possibly be me right? Cos I know we understand each other perfectly when we speak...

you??

hehe...

nope...

 

if i were to mock you...

i'll be the biggest fool...

[Aie]

Originally posted by rhema83@Jun 24 2006, 08:32 PM

By the way, I agree that many undergraduates and graduates in Singapore have poor command of the English language.

You know why? Cos these undergrads & grads manage to get into the universities based on their other subjects besides English. I happen to bump into a guy who was photostating his 'A' levels certificates some time back. His English is C6 but all his other subjects were 'A's...

[FuLL of SoRRoW]

Originally posted by Aie@Jun 27 2006, 11:35 AM

You know why? Cos these undergrads & grads manage to get into the universities based on their other subjects besides English. I happen to bump into a guy who was photostating his 'A' levels certificates some time back. His English is C6 but all his other subjects were 'A's...

ergh....

 

Some people I know..

Who are diploma holders and above..

And their vocation in their line...

Executives etc...

 

They are to write reports most of the time...

 

But what surprises me is that..

their level of english

simply that low... (for instance... its supposedly to be plural.. but they keep repeating the same mistake and put it as singular... etc etc)

but yet they still hold their post...

 

What happens to their reports

which by the way are plentiful of grammatical and vocab errors..

 

do they hire people who make the corrections?

[ALiEnGaL85]

Hi guys..., in fact like most of the people said in this topic:"Use the right form of English at the right time..."... I myself comes from a Chinese speaking family whereby even if i don't study my Chinese still pass with at least 85 & above whereas my English's... *ahem* And everytime i post my replies in the forum there'll be bound to have lots of short-forms..., some of them're my own creations...!!!

 

But after some time working as a intern in hotel industry for school attachment few years back..., i found that my verbal command in English improves quite a lot(my own opinion only..., haha~ )... Probably's due to the exposure to foreigners who checked in to the hotel..., whenever i communicate with them i always keep tis in mind"I must have good verbal command of English when communicating with hotel guests..."... Because the way i speak reflects not only me but also the hotel too..., that's why sometimes i happened to speak English/mix English with Chinese to my bunch of Chinese+dialect & very little English speaking friends... Then they'll say:"Eh..., how come u speak English...?"..., due to working environment i supposed...

 

In fact i find that no matter wat..., as long as the person understands's the main point... But good command of English's also very important when out in a working society...

 

P.S..., hope my English still can make it...

[Aie]

Originally posted by FuLL of SoRRoW@Jun 27 2006, 11:58 PM

What happens to their reports

which by the way are plentiful of grammatical and vocab errors..

do they hire people who make the corrections?

I'm sure that they have someone with a high standard of English who vets their reports first. If not, how to impress their clients or superiors with their half past six English???

[josefcaballero]

Level of English here, Atrocious? yeah i think so too but doesn't really affect me.... what ties me up in knots, is some of the atrociously lame topics that gets posted here

[Aie]

Originally posted by joeizdaman@Jun 29 2006, 08:26 AM

Level of English here, Atrocious? yeah i think so too but doesn't really affect me.... what ties me up in knots, is some of the atrociously lame topics that gets posted here

What do you expect? It is a Chatterbox Section after all. Can TCSS about anything under the sun...

[josefcaballero]

Originally posted by Aie@Jun 29 2006, 08:29 AM

What do you expect? It is a Chatterbox Section after all. Can TCSS about anything under the sun...

yeah i know... well what to do.... as usual, just bear with it, same goes with the english level here, bo pian we just bear with it

[pillion_seat]

I m quit proude of my comend of the english langage. So what if otter people english is poor. We can still chat what.

[PaLmEr]

Originally posted by pillion_seat@Jun 30 2006, 01:22 PM

I m quit proude of my comend of the english langage. So what if otter people english is poor. We can still chat what.

:cheeky:

[Steppenwolf]

Originally posted by MaraJade@Jun 16 2006, 06:05 PM

Not everyone is fluent in English or comes from an English-speaking family.

 

Btw:

 

"Signalling doesn't give you the right of way. I don't have to give way to you! You still have to wait until it's safe before you can change lanes."

Well put Mara.

 

Firstly, i think that the standard of English in the forum is bad in general. However I agree with Summerlove that the this forum is 1st and foremost about bikes and about people passionate about bikes. I don't think that the command of English (or lack thereof) should be a consideration to "judge" others by.

 

As Mara put it, not everyone has a strong command of English. Should we fault them for poor gramar, and spelling? Perhaps if you are their English teacher you should. Otherwise, everyone has a right share their thoughts even if they've mispelt certain words along the way.

 

I think the most important consideration is weather their posts is written well enough to convey their thoughts. In this regard, i think most posts are written well enough to be understood (despite, errors in grammar and spelling).

 

However, there some posts which close to impossible to comprehend. For this "select" group of posters, i think the main problem lies in the fact that they are often unable to structure his/her thoughts into coherent sentences - let alone paragraphs. There's often no head, nor tail to their posts. These are the ones which struggle with.

 

My point? Let's not descriminate against folks who are more language challenged than you are - lest you be judged in return for your poor skills in langauges that they excel in.

[Steppenwolf]

Originally posted by MaraJade@Jun 16 2006, 06:05 PM

Not everyone is fluent in English or comes from an English-speaking family.

 

Btw:

 

"Signalling doesn't give you the right of way. I don't have to give way to you! You still have to wait until it's safe before you can change lanes."

Well put Mara.

 

Firstly, i think that the standard of English in the forum is bad in general. However I agree with Summerlove that the this forum is 1st and foremost about bikes and about people passionate about bikes. I don't think that the command of English (or lack thereof) should be a consideration to "judge" others by.

 

As Mara put it, not everyone has a strong command of English. Should we fault them for poor gramar, and spelling? Perhaps if you are their English teacher you should. Otherwise, everyone has a right share their thoughts even if they've mispelt certain words along the way.

 

I think the most important consideration is weather their posts is written well enough to convey their thoughts. In this regard, i think most posts are written well enough to be understood (despite, errors in grammar and spelling).

 

However, there some posts which close to impossible to comprehend. For this "select" group of posters, i think the main problem lies in the fact that they are often unable to structure his/her thoughts into coherent sentences - let alone paragraphs. There's often no head, nor tail to their posts. These are the ones which struggle with.

 

My point? Let's not descriminate against folks who are more language challenged than you are - lest you be judged in return for your poor skills in langauges that they excel in.

[DM]

it would be nice if the mods corrected topic titles that are plagued by poor grammar

[StingRhea]

i am fine with the singlish, but its the spelling that can be quite irritating, not those typos, but spelling a word in a totally different way that seems to have the same pronounciation.