I love Singlish

Working in a MNC, we have quite a huge presence of foreign colleagues and sometimes in midst of our conversation, we will use Singlish unknowingly.

Contrary to believe, many of the foreigners I came across were interested in our "language".
 
Was trying to explain certain Singlish words to a foreign colleague recently and realized we have quite an array of words.

Here are some I tried explaining and it might not be the most correct way:

1). Ah-Bu-Den (If not what?)

This is used when you are asking someone an obvious question and if you get this as an answer, then the person is asking you, else what do you think? Similar to duh.

2). Or-Bi-Good (Serve you right)

This is commonly used when we were kids and complete with flapping your upper arms to outline how happy we are for the person to be in the undesirable situation.

3). Pai-Jiao aka Shoot bird(crossed eye)

This is to describe someone who did not take aim properly usually during games where you need take aim and missed.

4).CMI

Short form of Cannot Make It. As the word suggest, it is to describe someone who cannot meet the mark in a negative way.

5).  Arrow

This is commonly used at workplace where we describe someone getting unfavorable tasks.

6). Eat Snake

To skive

7). Pattern more than badminton

It essentially describes someone who has a lot of actions  while performing some work or task(in Singapore/ Malaysia we refer actions as patterns). "More than badminton" is added as it rhymes with "Pattern". Pattern can also be used to describe the way one carries him or her self.

8). Fly Aeroplane / Pilot

Fly aeroplane refers to one backing out of a meeting/gathering at last minute. A pilot is the person who backs out of the meeting/gathering (one who flies aeroplane). 

 These are the few Singlish words I taught my foreign counterpart who were more than happy to learn and apply it the 1st chance they had.

Welcome to Singapore.