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AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Embracing Singlish as part of our identity: Paiseh for what?, Lifestyle News
The Singaporean identity is a tricky one to define. Our country, which is reaching its 60th birthday this month, was made up of migrants and islanders with little to no shared experiences just three generations ago. But somewhere along the way, amid the rush of nation-building, something happened. An informal, colloquial form of English was created. Organically formed to suit the needs of different communities looking to understand each other, Singlish somehow manages to mirror some characteristics of the country itself — efficient, effective and reliable. Despite this, as a collective, we've been hesitant to fully embrace Singlish. But why? Speak good English, please The Speak Good English Movement (SGEM), launched in 2000 by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, might be a good place to start. The campaign's objective was simple enough: to "encourage Singaporeans to speak grammatically correct English". A Ministry of Education report in 1999 said that the widespread use of Singlish "will erode standards of English" among Singaporeans and SGEM was a response to those worries. It seems that Singlish and "standard English" were seen as incompatible and, through this campaign, the Singapore government made their preference clear. In a highly competitive global market, there were concerns that Singaporeans' pervasive use of Singlish would lead to barriers that would hinder the nation's competitiveness. Professor Lionel Wee, dean of the National University Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, told AsiaOne that the campaign was a method to discourage, and even eradicate, the use of Singlish at that time. "There was a lot of anxiety expressed, on the part of the government, that Singaporeans needed to learn good English, and they were in an environment where, according to the government, there's too much Singlish," he said. An example Prof Wee provided was Phua Chu Kang. A cultural TV icon to some, the unpretentious and relatable nature of the popular sitcom resonated with locals. Singlish catchphrases were part and parcel of the likeable characters' identities and as a young primary-school student back then, I laughed along to these quirky and fun mannerisms. Little did I realise that on a national level, it was at the centre of debate on the usage of Singlish. It was a time when the country was looking to raise its overall standard of English, but this coincided with the popularity of local TV sitcoms like Phua Chu Kang, which was known for its heavy use of Singlish. Phua Chu Kang's liberal use of it in the show was even brought up during the 1999 National Day Rally Speech. Then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong had said: "Gurmit Singh can speak many languages. But Phua Chu Kang speaks only Singlish. If our children learn Singlish from Phua Chu Kang, they will not become as talented as Gurmit Singh." It was also suggested during the speech that Phua Chu Kang should attend Basic Education for Skills Training classes to improve his grasp of English. Goh noted in the speech that Singaporean students already face "quite a challenge" to master one form of English and adding Singlish to the mix may lead to them being "unable to speak any languages properly". The government has softened its stance on the matter since, and although it is not widely encouraged today, Singlish is "tolerated", according to Prof Wee. Then, the question now might be: Should Singlish be something we merely tolerate? Changing tides In recent years, signs point to a shift in attitudes, especially among younger Singaporeans. Let me take you back to late 2021 when a web-based word game Wordle was created. Players had six tries to guess a five-letter word. Simple but challenging, the game exploded in popularity soon after. Sha-Mayn Teh figured why not create a Singlish spin-off. She named it Word-leh! and sent it to her friends on Feb 1, 2022 before releasing it to the public a week later. Her version worked almost exactly like the original. The big difference was players had to guess Singlish terms and words like "shiok" or "bojio" would feature in Sha-Mayn's game. Since got so many people playing now, I'm relaunching as — Sha-Mayn Teh (@shamayn) February 9, 2022 Sha-Mayn mentioned to AsiaOne that the game began as nothing more than a mini-project for her friends. "It unexpectedly went viral in under two weeks. Media picked up on it, and a whole community sprung up on Twitter, either bragging about their scores or complaining about missed words," she said. Sha-Mayn noted that while 85 per cent of Word-leh players are based in Singapore, the game is also played in the US, Malaysia, Australia and the UK. For Sha-Mayn, the charm of Singlish is simply how fluid and adaptable it is. "Part of the beauty of Singlish is that it's an evolving language without one official dictionary," Sha-Mayn added. To the uninitiated, Singlish may seem like just sprinkling a "lah" or "lor" at the end of each sentence. But regular users would be able to sniff out a sentence that was put together by someone who isn't familiar with Singlish. That's because, just like any other language, Singlish has rules that only regular users would be able to instinctively understand. This complexity is what 25-year-old Daniel Goh is looking to honour with his creation Chimbridge. A project that began in 2024, this online database has roughly 2,500 Singlish terms. Apart from definitions, Chimbridge also provides users with etymologies of the terms. Taking a more academic approach to documenting Singlish was a deliberate action by Daniel as he wanted to challenge the idea of Singlish being understood as an "illegitimate language", CNA reported. Let's not be paiseh The fact of the matter is fears of being left behind on the world stage were very real and the government did what it believed was necessary at the time. But attempting to ignore an aspect of your culture in pursuit of better opportunities may have been a slight overcorrection. Formed out of shared lived experiences and everyday connections between Singaporeans, there is value to Singlish, and while it can be tempting to look back and be critical of past decisions, I'm aware that I come from a position of privilege (as I write this out in English, no less). Regardless, beyond policy decisions, the core of the matter here is identity. And with the existence of Word-leh! and Chimbridge, it may suggest that we're becoming more comfortable with our linguistic diversity. So let's not be paiseh about this language of ours, can? amierul@
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Entertainer Gurmit Singh at 60: ‘My biggest contribution to S'pore is PCK – and three children'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Gurmit Singh's latest hosting gig was for the Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert on Aug 3. SINGAPORE – He made yellow boots and permed hair famous, thanks to his titular Singlish-spouting Ah Beng contractor character in the hit local sitcom Phua Chu Kang (PCK) Pte Ltd (1997 to 2007). Though the series ended almost 20 years ago after eight seasons, Gurmit Singh's name is still so synonymous with PCK, he was tapped by the Government to reprise his TV persona for a Covid-19 campaign in 2020 to rap about good hygiene habits. The home-grown actor-comedian is also a regular emcee of the National Day Parade and other National Day-related grassroot events. His latest hosting gig was for the Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert on Aug 3, where he shared the stage with local personalities Nithiyia Rao, Yasminne Cheng and Zhin Sadali. Singh, who turned 60 on March 24, has three children with his 55-year-old wife Melissa Wong – daughter Gabrielle, 28, a drag and burlesque performer; son Elliot, 23; and daughter Mikaela, 12. Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert hosts (from left) Zhin Sadali, Yasminne Cheng, Gurmit Singh and Nithiyia Rao. PHOTO: GARDENS BY THE BAY What is your core memory of Singapore? Busy, hot, I sweated a lot. Different races all around. Lots of Singlish – my favourite. What do you consider your biggest contribution to Singapore? Nothing except PCK? Is that even a contribution? Oh wait, I have three children – two daughters and a son. That's something the Government wanted, yes? More than one child. Phua Chu Kang (Gurmit Singh) in PCK – Singapore Be Steady!, a song to encourage Singaporeans to practise personal hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic. PHOTO: What do you love or hate about the country? I love the safety, greenery and cleanliness, the Singlish – again, my favourite – and the plethora of food from all over the world. I hate that schools start so early in the morning, the certificates of entitlement (COE) , the latest In-Vehicle Unit (IU) device and the tearing down of the National Library in Stamford Road – someone's head needs to roll for this. What is one thing you miss about the Singapore of your childhood? The old games we used to play – police and thief, catching, five stones – and when neighbours used to be just that, neighbours. Today, it is hard to know who lives next door, as everyone keeps to himself or herself. Gurmit Singh when he was one year old. PHOTO: COURTESY OF GURMIT SINGH What is the best and worst thing about being 60? The best thing is that I am not turning 70. The worst is that I am no longer 50. SG60's theme is Building Our Singapore Together. What would you like the Singapore of the future to look like? Stop building, but start preserving more of our heritage. At this rate, we won't be recognisable and remember where we came from. Failing which, we need to start a department specifically to archive every single component of our present and history that one can visit or draw down digitally for remembrance. And what does your next era look like? Hopefully, less work and more play. Less stress and more pleasantness. Less hurried and more in the moment.
CNA
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
SG60 edition of Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert draws crowd of 35,000
The Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert 2025 drew a lively crowd of nearly 35,000 on Sunday (Aug 3) at The Meadow, who came together to celebrate Singapore's SG60 milestone. With the theme 'Ties That Bloom', this seventh edition of the concert showcased music, memories and national pride by bringing together generations of Singaporeans through heartfelt performances, nostalgic classics and community camaraderie, hosted by Gurmit Singh, Yasminne Cheng, Zhin Sadali and Nithiyia Rao. Singer Hady Mirza opened the night with Ties That Bloom, the theme song for this year's National Day Concert, while Kit Chan and Charlie Lim joined voices for Here We Are, the official NDP 2025 theme song. Chan later returned for an emotional rendition of crowd favourite Home, accompanied by deaf interpreter Faaiqah Alkaff, in a powerful moment of inclusivity. Other highlights of the evening included sisters Tay Kewei and Tay Kexin singing Hopelessly Devoted To You, performing together for the first time in over 15 years, as well as a set by Rahimah Rahim, her sister Rozie Rahim and granddaughter ALY, who lit up the stage with I'm So Excited. Shazza entertained the crowd together with a cappella group Studio 33B, Alemay Fernandez showcased her jazzy charm, Taufik Batisah serenaded the audience with nostalgic tunes, while rapper Yung Raja delivered a high-energy performance. The evening culminated in a mass recitation of the pledge, led by guest-of-honour President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Ms Jane Ittogi, followed by a dazzling all-artistes medley of NDP classics like Where I Belong, Stand Up For Singapore and We Are Singapore under a sky full of fireworks. Missed the show? Catch the full concert on mewatch, Channel 5 and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel on Aug 16 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.
Hans India
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Uttarakhand Guv pays tribute to Kargil heroes at Cheedbagh on 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas
Dehradun: In a solemn and stirring tribute to the indomitable courage of India's fallen heroes, Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd), Governor of Uttarakhand, laid a wreath at Cheedbagh, Shaurya Sthal in Dehradun on Saturday to mark the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Organised by the Uttarakhand Sub Area, the wreath-laying ceremony honoured the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil War. The Governor paid heartfelt homage to these valiant warriors, acknowledging their unwavering dedication and courage in defending the nation's sovereignty. Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually on July 26, commemorates India's historic victory in Operation Vijay against Pakistani intruders in the high-altitude battlegrounds of Kargil. It is a day of pride, remembrance, and national unity, paying homage to the bravehearts who laid down their lives to uphold the tricolour. The commemorative event in Dehradun witnessed the presence of several distinguished military and civil dignitaries, including Major General MPS Gill, VSM, General Officer Commanding, Uttarakhand Sub Area; Rear Admiral Peush Pawsey, Joint Chief Hydrographer, NHO Dehradun; and Brigadier RS Thapa, Station Commander, Garhi Cantonment. The gathering also included veterans from all three services, Veer Naris, their families, and retired officers such as Captain Yashika Hatwal Tyagi, who played an active role in Operation Vijay. Adding a patriotic fervour to the occasion, a ceremonial march past was conducted by contingents of 120 students from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Army Public School, and NCC cadets. Their spirited participation reflected the values of nationalism and discipline deeply ingrained in the younger generation. Addressing the gathering, Governor Gurmit Singh highlighted the importance of commemorating Kargil Vijay Diwas and remembering the unparalleled sacrifices made by India's brave soldiers. He reiterated the unwavering support of the nation and the armed forces towards Veer Naris, ex-servicemen, and their families. 'Their sacrifices are a beacon of inspiration for every citizen. We must carry forward their legacy by contributing to the honour and security of our great nation,' he said. The ceremony concluded with a solemn pledge by all present to uphold the spirit of patriotism and emulate the courage and dedication of the Kargil heroes. All military stations and formations of the Uttarakhand Sub Area are observing Kargil Vijay Diwas with similar ceremonies, reaffirming their commitment to national service and honouring the memory of the fallen.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
U'khand Guv visits LU, praises botanical & literary heritage
Lucknow: Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh visited Lucknow University on Saturday and praised its botanical and zoological heritage. He found the rich collection of books at the Tagore Library impressive. "Uttarakhand Governor visited the Samvidhan Sthal and offered tribute at Dr BR Ambedkar's statue. He visited the departments of botany and zoology, culminating his tour with a visit to the Tagore Library," said LU spokesperson Durgesh Srivastava. He said the governor engaged with faculty members and expressed admiration for the department's innovative herbal garden named Sanjeevani. He appreciated the garden's unique Sun-ray-inspired layout and its rich collection of medicinal and aromatic plants, such as Mentha and Artemisia. Srivastava said the governor toured the zoology department and visited its museum, expressing great admiration for its rare and diverse specimen collection, including the skeleton of a one-horned rhinoceros, an Asiatic elephant, a preserved specimen of a giant 1.5-metre-long earthworm, and the Venus flower basket. He interacted with 15 PhD scholars, most of whom were in the early stages of their research, and lauded their depth of knowledge and enthusiasm. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo At the Tagore Library, the governor looked at the original copy of the Indian Constitution, rare manuscripts, the ShabdBhed collection, and a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib. He also read a few lines from the sacred scripture and bowed in reverence, acknowledging its spiritual significance.
