In view of the "Speak Good English Movement'', the authorities has rolled out a series of online drama about how six friends try to plan a wedding but somehow it went quite unexpected due to miscommunication and their usage of English :P
Speaking of English, do you use Singlish often in your daily life? It seems forgivable when you are using it to communicate with the hawkers or on very informal occasions. In fact, we all speak Singlish everyday~ Be it at work or in school. It has become a way of life. I strongly put my feet down whenever Singlish is being use for delivering presentations, or when speaking to a client ..I mean some degree of Singlish is acceptatble but it's best to limit it in the business context.
This happened to me a couple of days ago. I called a clothing company to enquire if there's still seats for their upcoming preview. The reply I got in return was rather curt.
Sales person: Good afternoon, XXX company
Eileen: Hi, has the preview event that is taking place on the 19th been filled up yet? Are there still empty slots available?
Sales person : oh, notchat.
As I couldn't udnerstand what he said at all, I decided to go Singlish.
Eileen: So , the places fill up already or not?
Sales person: notchat
Eileen: Can u repeat that?
Sales person : not chat
I must have been really slow that day.. I finally got what he meant!
Why can't he reply me in full sentence ? Instead he went notchat notchat..
Notchat== Not yet
2 comments:
My cousin doesn't pronounce his words correctly. He is just the type that will say "notchat".
When i asked him why he doesn't want to speak properly he said: "I sound funny when I speak properly leh, can't get used to it - and most of the time, people understand me what."
He thinks it doesn't really matter but i know he is sometimes self-conscious. E.g. When he speaks to his manager, he gets very nervous because he can't express himself well without using Singlish. Then in the end, he doesn't say what wanted to say!
What can i do to help him? He won't attend any courses also. He thinks it is lame. He is 20.
p.s. what do you think of sixlives.sg story?
It seems that your cousin has just only entered the job market recently to work. Most people will be put off with the usage of Singlish in the business context. It could steam down to the fact that he has been speaking singlish through out his entire educational life in school. Peers around him is one big factor. There is no need for him to use big words. Just construct his sentence correctly, it should be fine.
Reading aloud is a good way of improving spoken English. You are such a sweet cousin by the way :) So encouraging . It's not too late for your cousin to start speaking correct English. Perhaps u can speak to him and make him answer u back the 'Non singlish' way haha.
Honestly , it's really first impression that counts these days. You would wanna have an edge over others.
Oh, the sixlives stories hahahaa. found it quite entertaining..innovative idea in promoting English :)
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