Dumb Singaporeans!

[kingrant]

aiyo, seems like i hurt someone's delicate feelings

Thot you cld do with a tongue lashing. Was just doing you a favour. But let's not sidetrack the thread.

 

[heartlander]

Thot you cld do with a tongue lashing. Was just doing you a favour. But let's not sidetrack the thread.

seriously, no need to get all so defensive. nobody's judging you

 

[kingrant]

No, not defensive. In fact, enjoying myself as i always do.

seriously, no need to get all so defensive. nobody's judging you

 

[heartlander]

No, not defensive. In fact, enjoying myself as i always do.

that makes two of us then

 

[kingrant]

I think that most Singaporeans are firstly, not deep thinkers by habit, and secondly, they don't compose their thoughts well before speaking. Look at some of the interviews on CNA and local TV. They seemed rather overwhelmed by the mike in front of them and gave out really lame cliched broken sentence answers. Worse, some even tried smart alec soundbites, which really should embarrass Singapore. At first, I thought it was because English is not our mother tongue, unlike the angmohs, esp the Americans, esp the blacks, who are without fail very articulate and clear in their diction. I didnt mind the Singaporean accent or the inability to pronounce some words correctly if they took more trouble with finding the right words and expressing their feelings with more accuracy. Compare them with street interviews in HK, Taipeh, Japan or even China. These people in contrast, gave more meaningful answers and as a result came across as more thoughtful, profound and sincere, and not some convenient stereotyped, hackneyed phrases. The result is that they projected themselves better. If this were to happen in job interviews, there is no doubt who will get the job. I have come across many angmohs wo are no more better qualified on paper than Sinkies, but when they stand out there to give an impromptu speech, they win hands down.

I agree. One day I saw a draft presentation by a overseas returned scholar and I saw one of his headers "Causation Factors". I asked him why not "Causes". He told me that the presentation must reflect his standard of education.

In another case of overseas returned scholar, much of the content was not flowing but was laden with bombastic words. He obviously spent much time carrying out word replacement with the help of a Thesaurus.

I however noted that kids of senior servants and professionals(especially doctors) tend to do much better in articulating. And clearly its the home environment that made the difference. I wonder what is going on in our schools.

 

[heartlander]

I think that most Singaporeans are firstly, not deep thinkers by habit, and secondly, they don't compose their thoughts well before speaking. Look at some of the interviews on CNA and local TV. They seemed rather overwhelmed by the mike in front of them and gave out really lame cliched broken sentence answers. Worse, some even tried smart alec soundbites, which really should embarrass Singapore. At first, I thought it was because English is not our mother tongue, unlike the angmohs, esp the Americans, esp the blacks, who are without fail very articulate and clear in their diction. I didnt mind the Singaporean accent or the inability to pronounce some words correctly if they took more trouble with finding the right words and expressing their feelings with more accuracy. Compare them with street interviews in HK, Taipeh, Japan or even China. These people in contrast, gave more meaningful answers and as a result came across as more thoughtful, profound and sincere, and not some convenient stereotyped, hackneyed phrases. The result is that they projected themselves better. If this were to happen in job interviews, there is no doubt who will get the job. I have come across many angmohs wo are no more better qualified on paper than Sinkies, but when they stand out there to give an impromptu speech, they win hands down.

i agree. Singaporeans generally are a shy lot. I'm in America right now - throw a stone and 80% of the time you hit someone who can talk the socks off a Singaporean. It's a good reason for parents to send their kids overseas. These kids will be forced to catch up with the angmohs and when they come back they'll be more eloquent than locally educated kids.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

I After a year of working in Temasek, thru a local contact managed to get a job with one of the largest law firms here as a Business Development Executive.

It's probably during her stint with Temasek that she became connected with the big law firms working for Temasek.

It's weird that law firms are employing 'business development executive'. Are law firms allowed to solicit business ?

 

[heartlander]

it means admin manager or something la. law firm is a business wad. of course it has to solicit business/clients

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

it means admin manager or something la. law firm is a business wad. of course it has to solicit business/clients

Law firm is not supposed to be a business. They have their own 'publicity rules' that forbid them from soliciting clients.

 

[QXD]

It really shocks me how advise/advice is still a mystery to Singaporeans.

Maybe it's the 70s generation thingy, some could get away speak Hokkien all through their school life, up until they started working, as one of my army buddies used to regularly boast during every in-camp...

 

[heartlander]

Law firm is not supposed to be a business. They have their own 'publicity rules' that forbid them from soliciting clients.

a law firm is a business, despite publicity rules. where in the original post was it mentioned that the woman in question was doing publicity stuff? which planet did you just recently arrive from?

 

[besotted]

dumb means dumb, no need justify

facts speak for themselves

during interview, singaporeans under 30 years old tongue-tied like fuck or use standard rehearsed answers

 

[OldPlaza]

When asked why Singapore was looking for people like her - her sincere answer was a million bucks. According to her, the locals can't speak or write English properly and firms that deal with international firms cannot employ locals.

This is probably the most ironic thing in this country. We complained, got upset/angry because some foreign workers could not utter enough english to do the work here.
Then, we have some foreign workers refused to hire local singaporeans because the local workers could not utter enough english to do the international work.
Are we doomed or what?

 

[scroobal]

Interestingly I felt that the Ang Mos were getting away with blue murder in HK. Ang Mos who could not make it elsewhere were holding good positions in MNCs. Only good companies like Swire, Jardines, HSBC had strict recruitment policies where they would go to UK to hire good quality grads.

I also felt the resentment amongst the HongKongers towards the AngMos with the locals seldom mixing with the Ang Mos. This was when the British was running the place. Not anymore.

Singapore has come to that except that the govt is local and our standard of English has gone down.

Far from it, the bottom line is $$$.

When Hong Kong was the "Regional Office HQs for tons of MNC" in the 80s. The first time I visited one of these offices, have a shock, almost none of the staff can speak in non-halting English, including those in Management. Although they can communicate very well in Email.

And their Cantonese accented spoken English till today, is many times worse then us.

 

[scroobal]

Its a terrible dilemma. The govt tells us that the foreigners are coming in with talent while the foreigners think that they are employed because we can't communicate in the language of commerce.

When asked why Singapore was looking for people like her - her sincere answer was a million bucks. According to her, the locals can't speak or write English properly and firms that deal with international firms cannot employ locals.

This is probably the most ironic thing in this country. We complained, got upset/angry because some foreign workers could not utter enough english to do the work here.
Then, we have some foreign workers refused to hire local singaporeans because the local workers could not utter enough english to do the international work.
Are we doomed or what?

 

[scroobal]

This I have to agree - cannot beat a Singaporean when it comes to stock and rehearsed answers. Only country in the world where 10 year answers is sold in a kiosk on a busy pathway.

dumb means dumb, no need justify

facts speak for themselves

during interview, singaporeans under 30 years old tongue-tied like fuck or use standard rehearsed answers

 

[scroobal]

Spot on. You could not have been more accurate. One day I got a call from the publisher of a industry rag after he completed an interview with Elsie Foh, who was at that time Head of Consumer Banking in DBS. He told me it was not printable and the Govt would have his arse if he published it. He told me that the lady was giving stock answers without thinking. He tried his best to make her look good but it failed.

A few weeks later he called me again seeking advice as Elsie was wondering why the interview did not appear in the latest edition. I told him that his first assessment was right - the govt will indeed have his arse if it appeared in print.

Its a sad story. I know a district judge who sent his son to do his secondary education overseas in a boarding school. The kid turned out more confident, ready to engage in discussion and good powers of reasoning.

Look at the letters to the press from educated professionals which are pro-establishment. No premise, no foundation and obviously little thinking went into it.

I think that most Singaporeans are firstly, not deep thinkers by habit, and secondly, they don't compose their thoughts well before speaking. .

 

[bryanlim1972]

i agree. Singaporeans generally are a shy lot. I'm in America right now - throw a stone and 80% of the time you hit someone who can talk the socks off a Singaporean. It's a good reason for parents to send their kids overseas. These kids will be forced to catch up with the angmohs and when they come back they'll be more eloquent than locally educated kids.

i see you haven't spent enough quality time there to figure out that 80% of these 'can talk the socks off a singaporean" types have no substance to back their fluent statements of opinions. you seem very impressed by nothing more than hot air.

 

[Leongsam]

i see you haven't spent enough quality time there to figure out that 80% of these 'can talk the socks off a singaporean" types have no substance to back their fluent statements of opinions.

In life, perception is reality. It really doesn't matter whether "substance" is forthcoming. All that is required is the perception that "socks talker" is confident and knowledgeable.

 

[bryanlim1972]

In life, perception is reality. It really doesn't matter whether "substance" is forthcoming. All that is required is the perception that "socks talker" is confident and knowledgeable.

and all it takes is a boss/supervisor of substance to be able to find holes in the socks.

perception is delusional, reality is absolute. maybe you believe life to be delusional.