I. Singlish is the combination of many languages put together. Such languages include Queen's English, Malay, Cantonese, Tamil, Mandarin and Hokkien. Singlish has a very unique twist that can only be recognized if a person has visited Singapore before. Unlike the English spoken in America or Britain, Singlish contains vocabulary from a wide variety of languages. Although it is the most common form of communication, it is not spoken in formal situations or when someone is addressing an elder. Singlish is truly unique due to its diverse history, its distinct grammar and vocabulary, and its essential role in culture and traditions.1. In 1810, Sir Stamford Raffles founded the island of Singapore and later claimed it in an effort to create a trading post for the English. This trading post was located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, important for trade from East Asia and India. In the early 19th century, Malays, Chinese and Indians came to Singapore to start trading. The languages spoken by these ethnicities influenced each other and resulted in a choppy, sing-song version of the Queen's English with heavy accents of Hokkien, Malay, Cantonese, Tamil and more. While Singlish may be based on British English, most of its influence comes from Chinese and Malay. From Hokkien, Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese and Tamil are often added to everyday conversations. Singlish has many distinct and unique characteristics. One of the first things you notice when speaking to a native Singaporean is the way they eliminate grammatical endings, linking verbs, tenses and plurals. For example, if you wanted to say "You walk so slowly", in Singlish, you would say "You walk so slowly". Or what if you wanted to say, "You showed... in the center of the paper... the DNI for information and the arts, to improve and maintain Standard Singapore English. Ultimately you decided to keep Singlish as part of the their culture, but banned it in schools and formal gatherings. Even today, SGEM strives to expand the effectiveness of English in schools, reminding students that while Singlish may be an important part of our culture, it is still more important that the rest of the world can understand us and we can understand them.4. Singlish is a melting pot of many different languages that may seem fun and upbeat to some people, but can make others cringe at the sound of overused grammar that you are talking to a Singaporean when you hear the duplication and particles of speech and the deletion of linking verbs Singlish is a crucial part of their identity and culture as it unites everyone despite their social class.
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