From Singlish to English at the Workplace

Course details

Although Singlish can be fun and bonding, it presents its own set of problems. The user of Singlish may be perceived as unprofessional or incompetent. This may not be an accurate assessment, but people do judge us by the way we use English at the workplace.

What do you gain from this workshop?

This workshop highlights the arguments for and against the use of Singlish, and analyses the common reasons why Singlish is popular in many groups. It also highlights the importance of switching to English in appropriate situations.

The programme also discusses the Singlish phenomena relating to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, and suggests ways for the user to switch over to standard English.

Workshop Objectives

• Analyse the arguments for and against Singlish.
• Understand why Singlish is popular among many groups.
• Know the importance of standard English in appropriate situations.
• Be aware of common mistakes relating to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation in Singlish, and how to switch over to standard English.
• Know the common problems faced in making the switch from Singlish to standard English.

Workshop Highlights

The Singlish VS English Debate

• The argument for Singlish
• The argument against Singlish

Why Do We Use Singlish?

• Common reasons for Singlish usage in Singapore
• Is it really your choice to make?

The Importance of Switching from Singlish to Standard English

• Intelligibility
• Image
• The common problems preventing an effective switch

Common Singlish Grammar Problems

• First language interference
• Missing be-verbs
• The kena-passive
• Lack of tense form
• To have something done
• No differentiation between the singular and plural
• Missing subjects
• Wrong use of question tags

Common Singlish Vocabulary Problems

• The use of filler sounds (lah, meh, etc.)
• Using borrowed words
• Using exclamations

Common Singlish Pronunciation Problems

• The International Phonetic Alphabet (the 44 sounds of English)
• The long and short vowel sounds
• The missing or mispronounced end-consonant sound
• Lack of word and sentence stress
• Commonly mispronounced words
• Narrow or confusing intonation