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Is my command of English poor or is it our Ministers'?

kingrant

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See my bolded text..does it make any sense? Are our Ministers speaking good English? Or more BS..what does it really mean??? Don't you think such English grates on the nerves?


[TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="width: 5"][/TD]
[TD="width: 784, colspan: 2"]SINGAPORE: The People's Association (PA) is aiming to bridge the gaps in its outreach efforts and be more inclusive.

It wants to increase its engagement with those aged between 22 and 49 years, minority racial groups and residents of five-room HDB flats, condominiums and private estates.

Age, race and housing type have plenty to do with the level of interest in the activities of the PA.

The older set appears to be keener -- one in two residents who're 65 years old and above takes part.

At the bottom of the scale is the younger set, with one in five for those aged 22 to 35 years.

Among the races, the Chinese rank highest with one in three.

The lowest is with the Indian community, with only about one in five.

Outreach is high among those living in four-room HDB flats where one in two is engaged, and low with residents of landed properties at one in four.

Overall, one in three residents is currently involved in PA's outreach.

The target is to raise this to one in two by 2015.

PA deputy chairman Lim Swee Say said: As a grassroots movement, we have made a big difference to the social cohesion here in Singapore.

"We are not a nation divided but yet at the same time, we are striving to become even more inclusive.

"For us to reach out more extensively and inclusively, we have to think of new ideas and explore new channels of reaching out to them."

At a grassroots seminar on Saturday, PA rallied grassroots leaders to embrace its approach of All C.A.R.E - which stands for all channels, age groups, races and estates.

This can involve simple tweaks of activities and interest groups.

For example, brisk walking can cover private estates; more ad-hoc volunteering projects can be organised to attract younger participants; and more effort can go into the specific needs of the minority races.

PA chief executive director Yam Ah Mee said: "We have to look at their different interests, so for example, the Malays and the Indian minority groups are very expressive in their arts and culture.

"So, we are going to set up community arts and culture clubs, and through the opportunities of arts and culture, more people can participate in their expression of their different arts performance.

"PA will also shift its recognition framework for grassroots organisation.

"Reaching out in the all C.A.R.E way, we are also taking a review at our recognition framework to shift it towards recognising the outreach in an all care manner - to be more outcome-based, deeper engagement and widening outreach rather than just an output-based system."

PA also wants to grow its pool of grassroots leaders from the current 31, 000 to 41,000 by 2015.

- CNA/wk[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
 
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Who ever wrote it went thru a system that taught not only out of the box but beyond the box.
 
This happens because he was trying to speak from two corners of his mouth which were each saying different things.

One side says "ya, actually, we are really so divided, as in after our last GE" and the other says, "ya, we cant say we are divided otherwise you will really believe it; but since it's so, we're trying our best to undivide it, comprenez?"

Speaking with forked tongues is also the speciality of politicians in general, and S'pore Ministers in particular. The age old maxim: If you cannot convince, confuse; if you cannot confuse, confound!
 
Best description thus far and agree on assessment.
This happens because he was trying to speak from two corners of his mouth which were each saying different things.

One side says "ya, actually, we are really so divided, as in after our last GE" and the other says, "ya, we cant say we are divided otherwise you will really believe it; but since it's so, we're trying our best to undivide it, comprenez?"

Speaking with forked tongues is also the speciality of politicians in general, and S'pore Ministers in particular. The age old maxim: If you cannot convince, confuse; if you cannot confuse, confound!
 
See my bolded text..does it make any sense? Are our Ministers speaking good English? Or more BS..what does it really mean??? Don't you think such English grates on the nerves?


[TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="width: 5"][/TD]
[TD="width: 784, colspan: 2"]PA deputy chairman Lim Swee Say said: As a grassroots movement, we have made a big difference to the social cohesion here in Singapore.

"We are not a nation divided but yet at the same time, we are striving to become even more inclusive.

[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

This from the same court jester who came up with cheaper, fasterer and better, and upturn the downturn, etc. What more can I say? He did it again!

Anyway, he's contradicting his former mentor LKY who said that Singapore is not yet a nation as in citizens as one united people as the pledge is just an aspiration.
 
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See my bolded text..does it make any sense? Are our Ministers speaking good English? Or more BS..what does it really mean??? Don't you think such English grates on the nerves?


[TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="width: 5"][/TD]
[TD="width: 784, colspan: 2"]SINGAPORE: The People's Association (PA) is aiming to bridge the gaps in its outreach efforts and be more inclusive.
................[snip]

- CNA/wk[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

one common mistake with sinkie writers is the use of "the" for plurality, and in this case "gaps". "the" is normally associated with singularity, such as "the gap". in this case and context, the better english would be "bridge gaps". *fail*
 
Beg to differ. Not wrong to use "bridge the gaps" when one knows or is referring to certain gaps in mind , since The is used to refer to a definite article or articles. When gaps are known to exist generally, but one knows not where definitively, then just saying "bridging gaps" would be more appropriate.

one common mistake with sinkie writers is the use of "the" for plurality, and in this case "gaps". "the" is normally associated with singularity, such as "the gap". in this case and context, the better english would be "bridge gaps". *fail*
 
This happens because he was trying to speak from two corners of his mouth which were each saying different things.

One side says "ya, actually, we are really so divided, as in after our last GE" and the other says, "ya, we cant say we are divided otherwise you will really believe it; but since it's so, we're trying our best to undivide it, comprenez?"

Speaking with forked tongues is also the speciality of politicians in general, and S'pore Ministers in particular. The age old maxim: If you cannot convince, confuse; if you cannot confuse, confound!

he probably thought he sounded profound to his audience, and expected the crowd (pa grassroots who are usually sycophants) to nod their heads in awe at his smartspeak
 
Beg to differ. Not wrong to use "bridge the gaps" when one knows or is referring to certain gaps in mind , since The is used to refer to a definite article or articles. When gaps are known to exist generally, but one knows not where definitively, then just saying "bridging gaps" would be more appropriate.

The world via Google agrees with you.

"bridge gaps" -> About 456,000 results
"bridge the gaps" -> About 3,920,000 results
 
Who ever wrote it went thru a system that taught not only out of the box but beyond the box.

You mean that they got that quote from the fortune cookie or the divination stick at the temple near Bencollen stick...divination 123456789?!:rolleyes:
 
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The speeches are usually not writen by the Ministers but their assistant.

Except maybe during the election period, like this speech?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vx4T2h718o0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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lianbeng says, "ALL MPs should speak only English in parliament for fairness to all. if chinese speak mandarin, malays speak malay, indians speak tamil, etc... then will be like marketplace liao.":D
 
Aiyoh! like that also can!

No wonder PAP always win the election becos all the porlampar standard of English bery poor. Just vote 'thunder' sign will do.

See my bolded text..does it make any sense? Are our Ministers speaking good English? Or more BS..what does it really mean??? Don't you think such English grates on the nerves?


[TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="width: 5"][/TD]
[TD="width: 784, colspan: 2"]SINGAPORE: The People's Association (PA) is aiming to bridge the gaps in its outreach efforts and be more inclusive.
so many gaps? hey thought 1 gap oredi jiak lat leow.

It wants to increase its engagement with those aged between 22 and 49 years, minority racial groups and residents of five-room HDB flats, condominiums and private estates.

Age, race and housing type have plenty to do with the level of interest in the activities of the PA.

District 9 and 10 residents boh chap PAP activites si boh!

The older set appears to be keener -- one in two residents who're 65 years old and above takes part.

Human can be count in 'set' meh? 1 set of twin, 1 set of couple si boh!

At the bottom of the scale is the younger set, with one in five for those aged 22 to 35 years.

Among the races, the Chinese rank highest with one in three.

The lowest is with the Indian community, with only about one in five.

Outreach is high among those living in four-room HDB flats where one in two is engaged, and low with residents of landed properties at one in four.

Overall, one in three residents is currently involved in PA's outreach.

The target is to raise this to one in two by 2015.

PA deputy chairman Lim Swee Say said: As a grassroots movement, we have made a big difference to the social cohesion here in Singapore.

"We are not a nation divided but yet at the same time, we are striving to become even more inclusive.

"For us to reach out more extensively and inclusively, we have to think of new ideas and explore new channels of reaching out to them."

At a grassroots seminar on Saturday, PA rallied grassroots leaders to embrace its approach of All C.A.R.E - which stands for all channels, age groups, races and estates.

This can involve simple tweaks of activities and interest groups.

For example, brisk walking can cover private estates; more ad-hoc volunteering projects can be organised to attract younger participants; and more effort can go into the specific needs of the minority races.

PA chief executive director Yam Ah Mee said: "We have to look at their different interests, so for example, the Malays and the Indian minority groups are very expressive in their arts and culture.

"So, we are going to set up community arts and culture clubs, and through the opportunities of arts and culture, more people can participate in their expression of their different arts performance.

"PA will also shift its recognition framework for grassroots organisation.

"Reaching out in the all C.A.R.E way, we are also taking a review at our recognition framework to shift it towards recognising the outreach in an all care manner - to be more outcome-based, deeper engagement and widening outreach rather than just an output-based system."

PA also wants to grow its pool of grassroots leaders from the current 31, 000 to 41,000 by 2015.

- CNA/wk
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

Catch no balls what they say leh!
 
Yes, it jars on my nerves alright. And all along, I thought I was the only one.

On the issue of unnecessary pluralizing, it annoys me to no end when I read phrases like "improving the competencies of our workers" (many workers, many competencies?). I also swear I will shoot the next person who says "staffs". :D
 
sense said:
The world via Google agrees with you.

"bridge gaps" -> About 456,000 results
"bridge the gaps" -> About 3,920,000 results

The 3.5 million results are from the word "the".
 
On the issue of unnecessary pluralizing, it annoys me to no end when I read phrases like "improving the competencies of our workers" (many workers, many competencies?).

possible lah as the speaker has the prerogative to say what he means, unless the speaker you think is clueless in the first place on the nuances.
 
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Actually, my beef lies in that "competency" is a collective term, like "fish", "fruit" and "aircraft". When you say a basket of fruit, you refer to all the fruit inside the basket, including the durians, rambutans, apples, pears and whatnot. Same goes for competency - you are referring to a state of being adequately qualified, and it can mean possessing more than one skill set. Even if it's more than one worker we're talking about, it's the same state of being adequately qualified.

The plural "competencies" is more of a technical HR term, as in, "core competencies" which breaks down the skillset a worker is supposed to possess into individual "competencies". I'm okay with it in a HR context, but hearing the term at public speeches not necessarily targetted at HR professionals makes me cringe.

Interestingly, the term "competency" is a less-known variant of "competence", which is more commonly-used.

Okay, sorry for boring everyone to death.

possible lah as the speaker has the prerogative to say what he means, unless the speaker you think is clueless in the first place on the nuances.
 
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Interestingly, the term "competency" is a less-known variant of "competence", which is more commonly-used.

I on the other am just irritated by the use of the word 'competency', which to me is a redundant derivative of the noun 'competence', an example of American technical jargon that has spilled over into everyday English. I'd place it on par with 'irregardless' and 'where are you at' for its annoyance quotient.
 
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