Thursday, March 15, 2007

Pidgin English

Some years back, I received an email that made me cracked up so much. It was in Pidgin English you see and this style of writing can really cause a riot. That email was voted "Best Email of the Year", mind you, and was even featured in a magazine! I remember reading it again in the magazine.

Today, I received another such email. It has the same effect. A little silly perhaps but really good for a laugh. Who says grammar has to be correct. What matters is that the message is understood by the receiver, right? Here goes...See if you are able to understand it.

Ah Beng's e-meow

Dear Ah Lian

Thanks you for your letter. Wrong time no see you. How everything? For me, I am quiet find.

You say in your letter your taukeh soh want you to chain your look?
Somemore you must wear kick kok soo, hope you can wok properly.

You know, Ah Kau Kia working in a soft where company now. Last week, He take I, Muthu & few of his friend to May Nonut to eat barger. After that he take we all go to kalah ok.

Muthu sing and sing no stop until the sky bright.

Next week, my father mother going to sellerbread 20 years annie wear sari. My father mother going to give a fist to all the kampong people. So You must come with your hole family.

I only hope one day we no need to write and send letter to you and to me.
Better I e-meow you, you e-meow me. I will ketchup with you soon. And when you got time, please few free to call me. Goo bye.....

Worm regard,
Ah Beng

6 comments:

  1. OH,MY GOD!!!!

    Pieceee held me Happy, "What is taukeh soh & kick kok soo"?

    Scratching my HEAD. =_=

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  2. HAHAHA... your bullock is vely nine. thank kiu...

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  3. Try literal translation from Hokkien dialect to English and you can this kind of humour.

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  4. PP, "taukeh soh" is lady boss and "kick kok soo" is the shoes (soo) that make some click-clock noise as in pumps. Ah Beng is supposedly a Hokkien-speaking Chinese man.

    KS, LOL!

    Joe, strange that it's always Hokkien that's used. Other dialects don't work as well, right?

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  5. kenot do this to me la. i larf until want to die liao. i tell u hor, hokkien is le best leh, so don't pray pray wor!

    :-D Have u seen the rap music video called "Muar Chinese"? The rapper expressed it very well about the uniqueness of our mix-mix language.

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  6. YD, glad you enjoyed it. I bet you read it with a Hokkien accent! That comes naturally, doesn't it? LOL!

    "Muar Chinese"? Missed it but will have to check it out. Why Muar, I wonder.

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