Singlish ramblings…

Before coming to Singapore I was told that English is an official language here. I was glad, as I though I would be able to communicate no problem with all Singaporeans! I also heard that they speak English with ‘an Asian flavor’, mixed-Asian accent that makes English uniquely Singaporean, commonly known as Singlish. Well, I experienced different English accents and I could understand them all right so far, so no big deal, just another rhythm, intonation or word stress will make it that more interesting! Little did I know about the ‘real Singlish’…

My first encounter with Singlish was in taxis and by the swimming pool, where I saw families and groups of friends interacting. I wasn’t sure what language did they speak, but I could catch some English here and there. Yet, I didn’t understand the whole conversations, so the only indicator was body language… A little frustrating, they were supposed to speak English here…

Well, not giving up just yet I heard some more Singlish in town, restaurants and shops. I could handle the special accent on the ‘regular English’, as in retail stores and common entertainment centers the locals did not use the real Singlish with customers. Relief… Maybe it’s not so bad after all; it’s just a matter of adjustment…

Ok, it’s time to do some research here… Nearly everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with many people speaking three or four. Most children grow up bilingual from infancy and learn more languages as they grow up. Naturally the presence of other languages (especially various varieties of Malay and of Chinese) has influenced the English of Singapore. The influence is especially apparent in the kind of English that is used informally, which is popularly called Singlish. Singlish is a badge of identity for many Singaporeans.

So, as a matter of fact Singlish is Singaporean slang, with English taking from Chinese grammar and is liberally sprinkled with words from the local Chinese, Malay and Indian dialects! It’s not only an accent, the whole syntax is different, vocabulary and phrases! Getting more and more interesting! Examples?

Very common feature of Singlish is scattering of the Malay term ‘lah’ used as a kind of verbal exclamation mark:

For example: "OK lah!" or "Go home lah!"

Another common phrase is:

"Aiyah, he always catch no ball one."

Which means: "He doesn't understand what I'm saying."

The local government does not support this version... It doesn't like Singlish because it thinks it is bad language and bad for Singapore's sober image as a commercial and financial center. The Speak Good English Movement was launched in 2000 by the Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, which organizes everything from creative writing to scrabble contests on a yearly basis in order to encourage Standard English. I took a quiz in ‘Improve Your English’ section on their official website and I failed because I wasn't sure what was the correct way to say - "I ownself go."

a. I will go there myself.

b. I can go myself.

(According to the website, the right answer is a.; explanation to justify the choice was: the word “ownself” does not exist in Standard English. “Myself” or “on my own” are more appropriate terms; it does not explain though why b is incorrect… would you agree?)

Well, I understand those who use Singlish every day, as it is a way of preserving linguistic heritage of Singapore, but on the other hand I agree with the government who would like the nation to speak Standard English for its position in the business world. For my own benefit, I would prefer if the Singaporeans all spoke the English I know, but maybe I should stop complaining that ‘I always catch no ball one’ and go out there and learn some Singlish…

Singapore Sling

Last week I had my first Singapore Sling! Or shall I say my first Singapore Slings… although I am not a cocktail type of person. I read about it on a website describing traditional Singaporean food and drinks, and I must say it’s really extraordinary and different from what I have tried before! The Singapore Sling was developed by Ngiam Tong Boon in the early 1900's for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and it has become a signature drink served in every bar in Singapore since then. Its today’s version differs from the original one; apparently bartenders use more simplified variations of the original recipe. The Singapore Sling, no matter which version I had, is very smooth, sweet and delicious!

Original Singapore Sling Recipe

1 1/2 ounce gin

1/2 ounce Cherry Herring

1/4 ounce Cointreau

1/4 ounce Benedictine

4 ounce pineapple juice

1/2 ounce lime juice

1/3 ounce grenadine

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Garnish: Cherry and slice of pineapple.

Shake with ice. Strain into an ice filled glass.

Singapore food adventures…

Every lunch or dinner in town is a new experience, as most of the time we order dishes we are not familiar with… It’s a part of our Singaporean Experience to discover local flavors…

Our knowledge of Asian cuisine was limited to ramen soups, noodles, and rice dishes before moving to Singapore, so now we are open to sampling all new, unknown and most unusual foods.

In our trip to Chinatown I had my first Satay, barbecued beef and chicken pieces served on the shish kebab style wooden sticks with chopped onion, cucumber and ketupat (Malay rice cakes often wrapped in coconut leaves) and accompanied by a dip of spicy and sweet peanut sauce. Satay is quite original, as it is a combination of heavy and oily meat and sweet but spicy and aromatic peanut sauce, a very strong fresh onion taste and a very plain rice cake… It is a dish unique to Singapore and it has its roots in Malay and Indonesian archipelago.

Satay

Another typically Singaporean dish I tried in our local food court is Laksa, a dish consisting of noodles, fishcake, prawns and chopped bean sprouts served in a spicy coconut-based soup. Its creamy coconut gravy makes it quite rich and chili seasoning adds a very spicy savor. There are many variations of Laksa such as a lighter version of the dish known as assam laksa, more appealing to a Western palate… Laksa comes from the Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Malaysia and Singapore, and to some extent from Indonesia.

Laksa (also known as Curry Laksa/Laksa Lemak)

Singapore’s food diversity is amazing, because if you are not in a mood to experiment with Southeast Asian cuisine, you can always find more familiar foods almost everywhere in town:

Singapore thunderstorm

A sudden and heavy thunderstorm woke me up this morning after 7am... I am up for the last 2 hours and it is still lashing rain… Last time it rained it resulted in a considerable flood in the Orchard Area, city’s shopping paradise and a hub of entertainment and artistic events. There was no major property damage or casualties, however the 2-hour morning downpour caused enormous traffic jams in the affected parts of the city and gave the Singapore government work till the end of the day.

Showers in Singapore are more frequent during the northeast monsoon (November to January) and they are also abrupt and rough, but impromptu thunderstorms visit Singapore all year round, apparently… They are manageable though, as the temperatures do not change during showers and never drop below 25ºC during the day and 20ºC at night.

View from our window this morning

At the local train station (Woodlands MRT station 2 day ago)

Orchard Road recent flood (last week)

There you go, two hours since the thunderstorm began, they are reporting floods in certain parts of Singapore on the Channel News Asia… I hope it will stop soon and they have time to clean up the damages, because we have cinema tickets this evening for the Cathay Cineleisure Orchard…

Cuisine of Singapore

The cuisine of Singapore indicates the ethnic diversity of its culture. The food is influenced by the native Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Indian and Western traditions. Food is viewed as central to Singapore's national identity and a unifying cultural thread; Singaporean travel literature declares eating as a national pastime and food, a national obsession. Food is a frequent topic of conversation among Singaporeans and tourists. Food in itself has been promoted as an attraction alongside its shopping. The government organizes the Singapore Food Festival every July to celebrate Singapore's cuisine, which is coming up soon so expect more information and pictures in regards to the abundant Singapore cuisine!

The multiculturalism of local food, the ready availability of international cuisine and styles, and their wide range in prices fitting all budgets at all times of the day and year helps create a "food paradise". Singapore's geographical position connects it to major air and sea transport routes and thus allows it to import a variety of food ingredients from around the world!

In Singaporean restaurants and food centers chefs of various backgrounds and origins experiment with different styles and ingredients and create new fascinating dishes. This phenomenon makes the cuisine of Singapore a cultural attraction! Most prepared food bought outside is eaten at hawker centers or food courts rather than at actual restaurants. These hawker centers are abundant and cheap, encouraging a large consumer base.

The quality of food does not differ significantly between restaurants and hawker centers, only the serving conditions really. The food courts are outside-based, you can get food instantly and you consume your meal at the simple plastic table/chairs layout; they can be found in any location in Singapore. Restaurants, on the other hand, are located in more expensive areas of town; offer more attractive looking menus and more appealing air-conditioned interiors. And just to give you an idea of the difference in the cost of dining in those, the average meal in a restaurant is about $12-20 Singapore Dollars (SGD) whereas in the hawker centre it is usually $2-4 SGD…

(Footnote: today’s conversion rate is 1 SGD = 0.58 Euros)

I have tried some of the local dishes in restaurants and casual hawker centers and I must admit that the variety of styles is countless! From sweet to spicy, cold to warm, raw to cooked or fried, seasoned to plain… Even noodles or rice dishes have different taste; depending on which food court or restaurants they were served in. I like trying and sampling foods in here; I just hope the discovery and research part of it will not affect my weigh scale!

More info on: http://www.yoursingapore.com/content/traveller/en/browse/dining/cuisines-of-singapore.html

Law and Order In Singapore

Special features of Singapore law: What you can and can't do

Many foreigners are concerned about the strict law here. It pays to understand the special features of the law, and what are definite no-no's over here.

Littering

To maintain the clean and green city, there are strict laws against littering of any kind. First-time offenders face a fine of up to S$1,000. For repeat offenders--it's a fine of up to S$2,000 and a Corrective Work Order (CWO). The CWO requires litterbugs to spend a few hours cleaning a public place, for example, picking up litter in a park. The litterbugs are made to wear bright jackets, and sometimes, the local media are invited to cover the public spectacle. Naturally, the authorities hope that public shame will make diehard litterbugs think twice about tossing their scrap paper or cigarette butt on the roadside!

Chewing gum

As an extension of the "no littering" mantra, the import, sale and possession of chewing gum is banned! You are also not allowed to bring in chewing gum for your own consumption. In short, no chewing gum whatsoever. This rule was introduced because of the high cost and difficulty in removing stucked chewing gum from public premises.

Smoking

Smoking is not allowed in public buses, taxis, lifts, theatres, cinemas, government offices, and in air-conditioned restaurants and shopping centers. First-time offenders face a maximum fine of S$1,000.

Drugs

A definite no-no. The death penalty is mandatory for those convicted of trafficking, manufacturing, importing or exporting more than 15g of heroin, 30g of morphine, 30g of cocaine, 500g of cannabis, 200g of cannabis resin and 1.2kg of opium. Possessing these quantities is deemed as evidence of trafficking. In other words, if you possess these quantities (and possession means you had control of them), you are deemed to be a trafficker and therefore subject to the death penalty! For unauthorized consumption, there is a maximum of 10 years' jail or fine of S$20,000, or both.. So, a definite no-no!

More info on: http://www.expatsingapore.com/content/view/1376

There are even no litterbins in the bus and train stations as food and drinks are forbidden there! The fines apply here also… However, Singapore is recognized as one of the cleanest, if not the cleanest city, in the world. But it takes a lot of time, energy and law enforcements though! Singaporeans take their country’s cleanliness seriously and in this city-state of over 4 million people, litterbugs beware. Otherwise a fine of several thousand dollars, hours of litter collection and even state-sponsored counseling await you!

Good morning Singapore!

I landed in Singapore and the first thing that hits me is how Singaporeans are well organized! No problems at the airport, entering the country requires visa and not having one could be a huge issue, so I pass the customs fairly quickly as I have all my paperwork done. Herve is already waiting for me, so great to see him after 3 months of living separately, that was quite a challenge... I couldn't really feel it inside the airport building, but once I went out I felt an overwhelming heat wave on my face, almost as if someone just opened the steam room door! This is one of those things that will take me some time to adjust, high temperature and humidity... But well, I got used to the moody Irish weather, I can take this too!

The apartment is lovely and its downstairs facilities are just mesmerizing! I couldn't believe we can use all the swimming pools, gym, jacuzzi, steam-rooms, BBQ corners, all the relaxation common areas whenever we wish... In this temperature the swimming pool is like a salvation... A huge relief anyway and a little more interesting than just a shower. It's only my second day here and I already have used several T-shirts and shorts, sticky hot weather. Well, time to get used to the new conditions...

My first noodle dish came from the local food quart, I must say that for a $3 meal it was delicious and really tasty! The variety of food here is great, hard times making my first food choice, I want to try everything. I cannot find any of the regular spices and herbs here yet, but I only visited the local area situated in the north part of Singapore called the Woodlands, where our place is. The benefit of living outside the city centre is definitely lower prices, less crowds and nice running space. This environment is just calling for a healthy lifestyle!

It is not only hot any sunny here though, I witnessed my first storm today! It lasted several hours, it was loud and a little scary. The air was much better after it though. I thought I shouldn't have taken my Irish umbrella here, but I will be probably better off keeping it in my bag, in case the next storm hits Singapore!