Singapore is a modern city, but some of the Singlish words its denizens use have old roots in another language, Malay, of which many are ignorant – to the annoyance of Malays. Photo: Alamy Singapore is a modern city, but some of the Singlish words its denizens use have old roots in another language, Malay, of which many are ignorant – to the annoyance of Malays. Photo: Alamy
Singapore is a modern city, but some of the Singlish words its denizens use have old roots in another language, Malay, of which many are ignorant – to the annoyance of Malays. Photo: Alamy
Singapore
Culture

Five Malay words Singaporeans claim – to the annoyance of their neighbours 

Malaysia and Singapore have a healthy rivalry in just about every sphere, but especially when it comes to language. Having been admonished by a reader, we delve into the Malay roots of some Singaporean English words

Topic |   Singapore
Alkira Reinfrank
Alkira Reinfrank

Updated: 5:03pm, 26 Apr, 2018

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Singapore is a modern city, but some of the Singlish words its denizens use have old roots in another language, Malay, of which many are ignorant – to the annoyance of Malays. Photo: Alamy Singapore is a modern city, but some of the Singlish words its denizens use have old roots in another language, Malay, of which many are ignorant – to the annoyance of Malays. Photo: Alamy
Singapore is a modern city, but some of the Singlish words its denizens use have old roots in another language, Malay, of which many are ignorant – to the annoyance of Malays. Photo: Alamy
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