"Ten simple tips" to help S'poreans speak good English

[streetcry]

[h=2]The Speak Good English Movement (SGEM) is putting out ten "quick and simple tips" for Singaporeans to use to help increase their standard of English.[/h]

SINGAPORE: The Speak Good English Movement (SGEM) is putting out ten "quick and simple tips" for Singaporeans to use to help increase their standard of English.


The movement said these tips show that "taking a little step each day, whether it is reading a book or listening to the radio, can significantly help to improve our English proficiency".


With these tips, the Speak Good English Movement wants all Singaporeans to take action by actively seeking out the tools and resources that are available to increase their language proficiency.


Of these ten tips, three of them are -- to read on a regular basis, listen to the way people speak good English, and think before speaking. The other tips will be revealed during the campaign's launch on May 15, 2013.


This year, the movement is placing special emphasis on working adults aged 20 to 39 years old, with the message that enhancing their speaking and communication skills will serve them well at work.


Mr Goh Eck Kheng, chairman of the Speak Good English Movement, explains the rationale for this core target group. He said: "We can and should keep improving our standard of English, even after we have left school and are working. It is your choice if you want the advantage that English proficiency brings or be left behind."


The movement will be rolling out several initiatives and programmes for this target group.

Launched in 2000, the Speak Good English Movement is a nationwide movement to encourage Singaporeans to speak standard English that is universally understood. Standard English, it said, is English with correct grammar and pronunciation, and is not about accent.




- CNA/ac

 

[Agoraphobic]

Simple.

Don't eat Char Kwey Teow, Nasi Lemak, or lim kopi.

Cheers!

 

[StinkiePeasants]

The fastest and easiest way to improve the English speaking skill of a population is to change the demographic. What Singapore needs is massive importation of native English speakers from USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and NZ. The migrants don't necessarily have to be Caucasians. They can be of any race as long as they were born, bred, and raised in the aforesaid countries with English as their first language.

The problem with Singapore is that the majority of the population speaks disgusting Singlish, hence, even a Caucasian child like the youngest daughter of Jim Rogers have learned and started to speak Singlish which the billionaire had to constantly remind her not to speak like that. Unfortunately, when a child is growing up in such an infectious environment that's how she will eventually speak when she grows up. Really sad for a billionaire's Caucasian daughter to speak such a disgusting incomprehensible language!

 

[winnipegjets]

That's why sinkapore must import more educated angmos.

 

[Sinkie]

Russian better. I'm TOTALLY proficient in the language I can pass off as a KGB agent.

 

[chootchiew]

You gimme 10 tips , I give you back 1 tip - Learn to pronounce "Mee Siam Mai Hum" properly first !

 

[Charlie99]

One cannot automatically assume that Caucasians and those born and raised in an English speaking country will speak and write good and proper English.

With respect, there are many in Toronto, including journalists who are far from perfect, for example, in the May 7, 2013 edition of The Toronto Star, one journalist wrote "each other" when he referred to recent immigrants tend to live in their ethnic communities to "support each other."

Each other is for 2 persons, whereas if it is 3 or more, it should be "one another."
between us vs among us vs amongst us.

There is no question that our children have better pronunciation than I, because they were taught phonetics or phonics during their kindergarten years.

However, with respect, I believe that I write better English than a majority of the Canadians.

edit: added "the" before Canadians

 

[Leongsam]

I believe that I write better English than a majority of Canadians.

Your post doesn't justify your claim.

 

[Romagnum]

Speak Good English? Speak English well, lah.

KNN like that also can

 

[looneytan]

Your post doesn't justify your claim.

May be you haven't read enough a majority of Canadians' written engrish

 

[Charlie99]

Your post doesn't justify your claim.

Thank you.

 

[rodent2005]

Well, for one don't listen to the way PAP MPs speak. Most of them can't speak well.

 

[myfoot123]

Singaporeans speak the best English compared to Hong Kong, Indian, China, Thailand, Phillippine, Japanese, European, Indonesian.

Those who still think Singaporeans are not fluent in English, you need to have your brain scan for tumor.

 

[shittypore]

Singaporeans speak the best English compared to Hong Kong, Indian, China, Thailand, Phillippine, Japanese, European, Indonesian.

Those who still think Singaporeans are not fluent in English, you need to have your brain scan for tumor.

My Boss the Head of NTUC, Mr Lim Swee Say can ouch to your claim.

 

[Balls2U]

"LET ME BE THE NATIONAL MASCOT FOR THE SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH CAMPAIGN! I BET EVERYONE CAN SPEAK LIKE ANGMOH GAO WITH A BANANNA IN THEIR MOUTHS IN NO TIME!"

 

[streetsmart73]

Well, for one don't listen to the way PAP MPs speak. Most of them can't speak well.

hi there


1. walau, which one leh?
2. me adore zorro monkey-faced speaks England hoh
3. its flipside: bigmouther, lbw, bitch losing the dog thing:p

 

[streetsmart73]

"LET ME BE THE NATIONAL MASCOT FOR THE SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH CAMPAIGN! I BET EVERYONE CAN SPEAK LIKE ANGMOH GAO WITH A BANANNA IN THEIR MOUTHS IN NO TIME!"

hi there


1. yo! what banana?
2. cucumber is betterer hoh

 

[valiant20]

Mr Goh Eck Kheng, chairman of the Speak Good English Movement, explains the rationale for this core target group. He said: "We can and should keep improving our standard of English, even after we have left school and are working. It is your choice if you want the advantage that English proficiency brings or be left behind."

Grammatical errors in the sentence spoken by the Chairman. Did they choose the right candidate?

 

[eatshitndie]

Thank you.

english can either be bad or good. not sure if english can be better, but i'm sure we'll cause sam to squirm if we say "betterer" or "bestest".

 

[Charlie99]

english can either be bad or good. not sure if english can be better, but i'm sure we'll cause sam to squirm if we say "betterer" or "bestest".

I simply said Thank you to Sam, after he indicated that my post did not indicate that my written English is better than a majority of the Canadians.

I may not speak as well as Sam, but other than a trace of Singaporean accent, my spoken English is above average, good enough at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, but my pronunciation is not as good as our children (born in Toronto).

Although I read English in SG for "A" levels, I used to hate it. I would love to have the same kindergarten teachers as our children re: phonics or phonetics and pronunciation.