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:
otang utang
hutang
→
Malay:
hutang/utang
Detailed etymology
definitions
noun
- debt
I once asked a friend how he was able to own a thousand-dollar instrument meant for astronauts and space-shuttlers. The simple answer: "Hutang lor!" Or, to guise it more sophisticatedly: "I'm on a two-year plan."
— 2004 October 22, Syed Muhd Khairudin. Today, "isay: UPGRADING AND ITS DISCONTENTS". p.34