202. Singlish Singlish

Oct 29, 2024

Gwee Li Sui, a Singaporean poet and academic, discusses the challenges he faced in promoting Singlish as a valid form of expression. He emphasizes its cultural and literary importance. Stacey Mei Yan Fong, an author and baker, shares her personal journey from feeling embarrassed about Singlish to embracing it as a comforting connection to her heritage. They explore the evolution of Singlish from stigma to acceptance, highlighting its role in government communication and cultural identity.

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ANECDOTE

Singlish: From Embarrassment to Comfort

Stacey Mei Yan Fong felt embarrassed by Singlish, associating it with improper speech.
Now, she finds it comforting, representing a connection to her Singaporean heritage.

INSIGHT

Discovering Singlish's Value

Gwee Li Sui's love for Singlish deepened when he realized its frequent misunderstanding.
This misunderstanding fueled his desire to showcase the language's true nature.

INSIGHT

Explaining Singlish in Singlish

Gwee Li Sui wrote "Spiaking Singlish" entirely in Singlish to explain Singlish.
He argues that similar to English dictionaries, a Singlish explanation requires Singlish itself.

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There's so much more to say about Singlish after last episode that we're saying some more of it this episode. Poet and academic Gwee Li Sui, author of Spiaking Singlish: A Companion to how Singaporeans Communicate, describes the resistance he received in Singapore when he published Singlish translations of literary works - and why they are important and celebratory for Singlish. And Stacey Mei Yan Fong, baker and author of 50 Pies, 50 States, explains how the language that used to be embarrassing for her is now a huge comfort.

Find out more about the episode and read the transcript at theallusionist.org/singlishsinglish. And listen to the previous episode about Singlish at theallusionist.org/singlish.

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