S'pore scholars unhappy over naming 'joke'
The Star/Asia News Network
Thursday, Nov 15, 2012
MALAYSIA - Sin Chew Daily reported that Singaporean scholars were unhappy that a newspaper in China had named a new slope found in Shenyang City, China, as "Xin Jia Po", or Singapore in Chinese.
The term can also be literally referred to as "newly added slope".
Singapore's Chinese Learning Lab dean Prof Chua Chee Lay said Singaporeans would sometimes joke about the term but he claimed it was the first time he had seen it used by the media and in this particular case by Shenyang Wanbao newspaper.
He added that it might be a joke, but some readers were questioning the motive behind the use of the term and whether the paper was being disrespectful by referring to the island republic as "a small slope".
"It would be more acceptable if a big shopping mall or an entertainment city is named after Singapore," he said.
"I personally take this as a joke but would like to remind that Singapore is a small nation."
The Star/Asia News Network
Thursday, Nov 15, 2012
MALAYSIA - Sin Chew Daily reported that Singaporean scholars were unhappy that a newspaper in China had named a new slope found in Shenyang City, China, as "Xin Jia Po", or Singapore in Chinese.
The term can also be literally referred to as "newly added slope".
Singapore's Chinese Learning Lab dean Prof Chua Chee Lay said Singaporeans would sometimes joke about the term but he claimed it was the first time he had seen it used by the media and in this particular case by Shenyang Wanbao newspaper.
He added that it might be a joke, but some readers were questioning the motive behind the use of the term and whether the paper was being disrespectful by referring to the island republic as "a small slope".
"It would be more acceptable if a big shopping mall or an entertainment city is named after Singapore," he said.
"I personally take this as a joke but would like to remind that Singapore is a small nation."
