* 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:
mama stall
mamak stall
→
Malay:
mamak
+
English:
stall
definitions
noun
- a stall, eatery, or restaurant selling Tamil Muslim and/or Malay cuisine
- (proscribed) a mama shop, especially one run by Indian people
Another from Tamil Nadu, Murthi, and I used to have conversations about family, food, and relationships during that earlier period, often while he was off work and enjoying his late evening meal at a mamak stall, which I would always buy him in exchange for the conversations.
— 2021, Parthiban Muniandy. Ghost Lives of the Pendatang: Informality and Cosmopolitan Contaminations in Urban Malaysia. Springer Nature Singapore. ISBN: 9789813362000. p.29
synonyms:
synonyms:
usage notes
Originally used to refer to roadside stalls selling Tamil Muslim cuisine, but now extended to any such restaurant or eatery.
Often confused with mama shop, though the two are usually held to refer to different types of establishments.