ANG MOH CAN’T UNDERSTAND SINGLISH, SAYS S’POREANS MODIFY ENGLISH UNTIL UNRECOGNISABLE

Singapore, a vibrant city known for its rich cultural tapestry, boasts a unique linguistic phenomenon – Singlish.

While some foreigners find this local lingo remarkably efficient, there are others who, like British tourist Jack The Backpacker, face a linguistic challenge when attempting to decipher the intricacies of Singlish.

Jack’s Experience: Lost in Translation

Jack, a native English speaker seasoned with travels across Asia, recently took to TikTok to express his bewilderment during his Singapore visit.

Unlike his experiences in Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Thailand, Jack found himself utterly perplexed by the Singaporean version of English.

Singlish, he noted, carried a distinct accent that left him struggling to comprehend even the simplest conversations.

The Singlish Accent: An Unusual Twist to English

Exploring the uniqueness of the Singaporean accent, he delved into how Singlish modifies the traditional structure of sentences, making them, as Jack described, “unrecognizable.”

This linguistic idiosyncrasy adds a layer of complexity for those unaccustomed to the local dialect.

He also shared how he was in a taxi the previous day and the Singaporean taxi driver was telling him “all sorts of things” but he had no idea at all what the man was saying to him.

@morejackthebackpacker I’m struggling with English in Singapore #singapore ♬ original sound – morejackthebackpacker

Netizens’ comments

1. Singlish really sucks. it’s very confusing and locals here still thinking English is their native language lol
2. Singlish is quick, fast and easy. Taxi driver was chit chatting with you, not delivering a Cambridge thesis talk.
3. Singlish has a different grammar and phonetics from other englishe
4. aiyoh. like that oso complaint
5. Singlish is the most efficient form of English..
6. I had to watch ur tiktok with subtitles because i have no idea what u said
7. Not every Singaporean speaks Singlish. So am I. Those with very high education do not speak Singlish.
8. hello, singlish is made up of many culture and languages here in sg. Malay, Chinese, and dialets added to English. words like Lah now in dictionary.