Commonly found variants; note these may range from acceptable alternatives to
non-standard forms or incorrect spellings*.
* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
also can:
balek
balik
→
Malay:
balik
Detailed etymology
definitions
verb
- to return; to go back; to go back to where one came from, or where one is staying.
This work touches on the identity and roots of Peranakans, and raises the question of belonging and the notion of ‘home’. The term itself, ‘Balik Rumah’, references the language of Malay - once a common tongue among the people of Singapore, it appears that the local lingua franca is dwindling in the face of an increasingly Mandarin dominated society.
— 2015, Jennifer Lim. Jennifer Lim Art, https://jenniferlimart.com/balik-rumah-print