Tag: singlish

Wah Seh, Here Are All 27 Singlish Words That Made It Into The Oxford English Dictionary

Wah, Singapore has really come a long way. And we’re not referring to our infrastructure or GDP.

We’re talking about Singlish lah.

In the past, Singlish was frowned upon by the government. But today, Singlish words have made their way into the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

Here’s a list of all 27 Singlish words and other Singaporean things that are officially in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Singlish Exclamations

Our exclamations are now official words! How crazy is that? There’s Aiyah, Aiyoh, Lah, and Wah.

How Lah made it into the dictionary is really beyond our understanding. Are the people at OED expecting the rest of the world to use the term?

As in, “David was saboed to take the shift this weekend.”

Singaporean Food

Yes, local food made it into the dictionary. Char Kway Teow, Char Siu (BBQ Pork), Chilli Crab, and Teh Tarik are now included in the menu dictionary. We’re just happy they included Teh Tarik.

(Header Image Source: Unsplash)

Kopitiam Talk – The Art Behind Your Everyday Kopi O Siew Tai

As a colloquial term for coffeeshops in Singapore, kopitiam is an integral part of any Singaporean. Very much like the microcosm of local culture, Kopitiams effectively capture the multi-racial fabric of our society – from the food choices to languages spoken. Even the word kopitiam itself is a mishmash of two different languages. ‘Kopi’ means coffee in Malay while ‘tiam’ is the Hokkien dialect for the word stall. Indeed, our kopitiam lingo is a curious and eclectic mix grounded in Singlish, and the result is that of a unique language system surrounding this humble and traditional eatery.

Spend some time at your neighbourhood kopitiam and I’m sure you’ll pick up a whole slew of lingo that is baffling to the uninitiated. These diverse stall owners themselves are a reflection of the Singapore culture. With all of them under one roof, the various languages have blended together over the years to create an eclectic concoction of kopitiam lingo. Let us explore this curious lingo and at the end of it all, I’m sure you’ll get the hang of kopitiam talk one lah.

Bottoms Up

Ordering a cup of coffee or tea at Kopitiams is in itself an art form. With so many suffixes that can be attached to the stem word of coffee or tea, getting your caffeine fix from Kopitiams might be a little daunting especially if you’re new to the scene. Fret not, for with the help of this flowchart, you’ll find yourself ordering your cuppa like a Singaporean in no time.

I’d Drink To That

It won’t be surprising to hear drink stall owners echoing something completely different after ordering a drink. Many of the drinks have alternative names affectionately coined by drinks sellers. Let’s uncover some alternative names of drinks that have caught on with the Kopitiam culture.

From these Kopitiam lingos, we can see how language has revolved around this eatery, making it the perfect representation of Singapore itself. From Malay, Chinese and dialects, it really is amazing to see these various cultures blend into one.

Also, read Look How Far Singapore Has Come! We Compare The Now & Then

This Candy Store Sells The Most Peculiar Sweets – Sushi, Mahjong Tiles, & More!

If there’s a store that fulfills the “sundae and cherry on top” principle, it’s Sophisca. The specialty candy brand, which hails from Taiwan and was founded almost 20 years ago, recently opened a new outlet in Marina Square.

Known for its yummy taste (the sundae) and cheeky packaging (the cherry on top), Sophisca sells a wide variety of sweets and chocolates that would without a doubt have any customer spoilt for choice. Dubbed as “a sweet place for sweethearts”, it’s a paradise for candy fans and spunky pranksters.

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Imagine giving these sanitary pads (they’re marshmallows) as a birthday gift. Your giftee will think you’re a) a cheapskate, b) a weirdo, c) as funny as Jerry Seinfeld, or d) all of the above.

We wonder if anyone has attempted to roast these marshmallow sanitary pads during a campfire outing. It would be a sight to behold.

Here you have a first aid kit filled with different types of confectioneries. And yes, the plaster next to it is a candy, too!

Aside from the unconventional candies that make you do a double take, Sophisca also sells uniquely Singapore chocolates adorned with famous Singlish phrases.

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A great gift for foreign friends, we’d say!

The edible colouring sets are a popular choice among kids. Time to get those creative juices flowing!

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Say what?! A medicated oil candy! (And yes, that’s a fake condom sweet too, yikes!)

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Sophi’s Choco, a classic favourite among its customers.

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Peng! Mahjong fanatics need to have this in their collection.

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But the craziest one is this.

These candy condoms either make you blush or roar with laughter. The team behind Sophisca sure are a witty — not to mention kinky — bunch.

At Sophisca, you don’t just buy the candies. You buy the novelty, too.

Sophisca may be in the business for almost two decades, but you have to hand it to the company for constantly staying ahead of its competitors. Their new, fresh, out-of-the-box ideas are always a source of amazement. We can’t wait to see what they have in stores for us!

Sophisca Singapore
Address: Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-32
Opening hours: Daily, 11am to 9pm

(Header image credit: ilovebunnynet, words by editor)

Also read: Hello Kitty vs Pompompurin – Here’s The Low-down On Both Cafes!

5 Singlish Phrases – What They Mean & Where To Eat That Food!

Singlish, love it or hate it.

Even if you lean towards the latter, you can’t deny the fact that there’s something unique about it. If you were to travel to another continent, odds are, you’ll have great difficulty conversing with locals there. It’s not your fault, our local unique slang tends to slip out.

Some of these phrases might sound foreign to your ear. Some might make you laugh like a drain. Some might even make your mouth water.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

1. Blur like sotong

Where to find the best sambal sotong: Chomp Chomp Ru Yi BBQ

Ru Yi BBQ’s dishes are hot on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside — it will leave you licking your plate and spoon and fork. The sambal sotong is sinful and makes your tummy feel like the Valley of Fire. But dear God almighty, is it worth it.

Address: 210 Toa Payoh Lorong 8, Stall No. 72, Singapore 310210 (not located at Chomp Chomp)
Contact: +65 8133 7688
Opening hours: 5pm – 11pm daily
Price: >S$8

2. Chop chop kali pok

What it means: Work faster

Kali pok refers to curry puff. Chop chop simply means hurry up. The two separate phrases were put together because they rhyme and sound catchy. Chop chop kali pok is often uttered by the impatient P.E. teacher or your BMTC instructor.

How to use it: “My 88-year-old grandma can run faster than you. Faster, chop chop kali pok!”

Where to find the best curry puff: AMK Curry Puff.

Thick crust. Check. Spicy. Check. Fragrance. Check. (Apparently, the owner of AMK Curry Puff, Mr Leo, used to be a shareholder in Tip Top Curry Puff!) If you love food with a tinge of tradition, you must head down to Toa Payoh. Word is, the curry puff is still finger-licking good even when it’s cold.

Address: Super 28 Coffee Shop, Block 184 Toa Payoh Central, #01-372, Singapore 310184
Contact: +65 9672 6621
Opening hours: 10am – 8:30pm
Price: >S$1.40

3. Stylo Milo

What it means: A fashionable, stylish person. A little tricky – it could be used as a compliment or sarcastic insult.

How to use it: “Wah piang, you wear socks with sandals? You stylo milo man.”

Where to find the best Milo Dinosaur: Spize.

Most drink stalls at coffee shops could probably do a Milo Dinosaur for you, but Spize is one of those stalls that does it the best. Of course, it seems nuts to order the drink alone – it’s milo + milo powder. If you’d like something to go along with your drink –  try Spize’s seafood aglio olio and chicken chop. Each bite is more delicious than the last.

A word of caution, though — you may get a sugar rush!

Address: Bedok outlet – 336 Bedok Road, Singapore 469512
(Visit their official site for River Valley and Rifle Range outlets)
Opening hours: Weekdays – 12pm to 2am & weekends – 12pm to 3am
Price: Iced Milo Dinosaur S$3.50, Iced Milo Godzilla S$4.50
Milo Dinosaur: Iced Milo topped with Milo powder
Milo Godzilla: Iced Milo topped with Milo powder, and ice cream or whipped cream

4. Ya ya papaya

What it means: An insufferable stuck-up person.

There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. The phrase, ya ya papaya, leans towards the latter.

How to use it: “Just now, I congratulate Alex on his promotion, and you know what he said to me? He said ‘Of course, I deserve it.’ Cannot stand that guy, so ya ya papaya.”

Where to find the best green papaya salad: Beer Thai House Restaurant.

Lovers of spicy food, a heads-up! Granted, Beer Thai’s signature dishes are the mango salad and pineapple fried rice, but its loyal customers will have you know that the papaya salad can easily hold its own. It’s appetising and authentic.

Address: Golden Mile Tower #01-50/51, 6001 Beach Road, Singapore 199588
Contact: + 65 6297 7644
Opening hours: 11am – 11pm daily
Price: >S$6

5. Agak-agak (a.k.a agar agar)

What it means: A rough estimation.

It’s supposed to be agak-agak (a Malay Language phrase), but for some odd reason, someone gave it a new twist and called it agar-agar. It’s stuck since then. Sigh, we Singaporeans with our pronunciation…

How to use it: “Ah ya, don’t ask me to calculate for you. My maths very jialat, got a D for my PSLE. You own self agar agar la.”

Where to find the best agar agar cake: Cake Story.

Their cakes are so adorable. You’ll want to take a picture of it and post it on Instagram. Lo and behold, you’ll receive massive likes! They have a decent range of agar agar cakes for you to choose from – Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, Barbie Ball, just to name a few.

[caption id="attachment_5879" align="aligncenter" width="793"] Credit: Facebook and you’ll win our love!

(Header image credit: You Can Now Fish & Dine At Singapore’s First Kelong Restaurant! You’ll Want To Check This Out!