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:
when policeman wear shorts when policemen wore shorts
when policemen wear shorts
简
繁
→
English:
when
+
policemen
+
wear
+
shorts
+
Hokkien:
马打
馬打
poj:
má-tâ
+
穿
poj:
chhēng
+
短裤
短褲
poj:
tér-khò͘
Detailed etymology
definitions
expression
- (metaphor) a bygone era before the modernization of Singapore; back in the day; a different era; a long time ago, especially when irrelevant to the present or the current situation
Triple science is more of a prestige option, a legacy leftover from the days when policemen wear shorts.
— 2021 October 5, floppy. KiasuParents, "Secondary 2 Streaming". https://kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2040605