Description
Book SynopsisThis book provides a fresh approach to Singapore English, by focusing on its cultural connotations. The author, a native Singaporean, explores a range of aspects of this rich variety of English - including address forms, social categories, particles and interjections – and links particular words to particular cultural norms.
Trade Review'Wong unravels the semantic, pragmatic and structural intricacies of Singlish, treating it not as a variety of English but as a language in its own right. Fresh, strong and original, this is a book for everyone interested in language, culture and meaning.' Cliff Goddard, Griffith University, Queensland
'Jock O. Wong's study of English in Singapore is a major contribution to our understanding of not only the semantic structuring of 'Singlish' but moreover to studies of pragmatics and culture. The latter is demonstrated broadly by considerations of data from everyday conversations, e-mail and chat rooms, and analyses of the meanings activated in such usage. The consideration of various linguistic devices such as forms of address, various cultural categories, including tonal qualities, all demonstrate how the use of a rigorous Semantic Metalanguage clarifies specific cultural meanings that are associated with Singlish and everyday language.' Donal Carbaugh, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Table of Contents1. English in Singapore; 2. The language of culture and the culture of language; 3. Singlish forms of address; 4. Cultural categories and stereotypes; 5. The discourse of 'can' in Singlish; 6. Expressions of certainty and overstatements; 7. The tonal particles of Singlish; 8. The enigmatic particle lōr; 9. Interjections: aiya and aiyo; 10. Making sense of Singlish.
