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:
wa lan
wah lan
→
Hokkien:
我𡳞
poj:
óa lān
Detailed etymology
definitions
interjection
- (vulgar) oh my God, man; for goodness' sake; oh cock; exclamation of frustration, shock, anger, disbelief, distress, surprise, etc.
"Wah lan! I organized this specially for you, and you're not staying?" Bernard sounded frustrated.
— 2013, Kevin Kwan. Crazy Rich Asians. Allen & Unwin. ISBN: 9781743317280
synonyms:
particles
eh
effect:
emphasis
—
See wah lan eh.