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:
bayee bai
bhai
→
Punjabi:
ਭਾਈ
bhāī
Detailed etymology
definitions
noun
- a Sikh man; term of address of endearment for a Sikh person
- (possibly derogatory) a Sikh man; a Sikh person
usage notes
Like many ethnically-tied terms of address, it may be twisted to be used in a derogatory way by some.