I dont have a problem with anybodies accent from Singapore. Americans have problems listening to anybody outside of their own country.
[quote=“Satellite TV”]
I don’t have a problem with anybodies accent from Singapore. Americans have problems listening to anybody outside of their own country.[/quote]
I have no issue when they speak English as it is a pretty simple accent. I do have serious issues when they start drifting off into Singlish though. But I wager that they would have trouble if I were to start speaking Gullah.
in Taiwan, though, the main reason for taking English classes is to pass tests. The audio on language tests will invariably be recorded in what is considered a more “standard” dialect of English – usually US English or British English.
Also – not to put too fine a point on it – if you’re not posting in a tearing hurry every time you post on this thread, your English writing is not native standard. Even if you’re completely native and write in that way, it would be an impediment to your teaching if you can’t see those details that you are missing out. (Of course, given the spelling of many teachers, this may be moot…) :aiyo:
[quote=“Desperado1999”]Anyway, to each his own … I cannot deny the type of accent that we have as these are the side effect of being a multi racial society. We have the Chinese, and amongst them, there are the Hakkas, Hokkiens, Cantonese, Teochews, Hainanese, etc, etc … there’s also the Malays and Indians and the Eurasians living in Singapore. So, you can imagine the type of accent you can from them!
You should not have a problem understanding us when communicating in English to a normal educated Singaporean, the so call “Y” & “Z” generation. However, if you speak with, for example, a fishmonger, in the market, then that’s a different scenario altogether. You would also face a little problem when you speak English to the “X” generation, that is, the earliest imigrants to settle down in the tiny red dot as some might describe our island to be. These people are not educated at all unlike LKY and his equivalent.
In Taiwan, I never have any problem with the Taiwanese understanding my English and Mandarin, both written and spoken. In fact, they were duly impressed that I can speak (Mandarin) albeit with some accent but much better than mainland Chinese, they said. My French counterparts never have any problem understanding my English. On the contrary, my Taiwanese colleague faced great difficulties as they said the French has a very strong accent when speaking Chinese.[/quote]
Dude, don’t take it personal… I’m not picking bones with you…my bad.
It is pretty inconsistent (as you’ve stated) even among the highly educated. I’ve seen some that are real good with both Mandarin and English and in certain remote cases, the individual can be REALLY good with English or Mandarin both verbally and written. But that’s not what we’re fighting over (or… debating). Inconsistency for a Nation’s language is pretty bad – English or Mandarin. You can’t claim English or Mandarin to be your nation’s language when the standards on the street fluctuate like Mexican Pesos. What is consistent across the board with generation A to Z is the Singlish - that, my friend is your National Language.
I don’t get it, every Singaporean I came across insisted that English is the National Language, sold it to S.E. Asian, and some stretched as far as claiming them to be different cuz it’s Queens English. Queens English!! Holly molly!!
Personally, I think if Sing-folks stand tall for your Singlish and Sing-Mandarin (which a ton of American Taiwanese here tend to say… sort of equates to Taiwan-Mandarin 
I do!! And darn proud of it), no one is gonna pick on you. What’s wrong with Singlish & Sing-Mandarin? There’re Jamaican English, S. African English, yada…yada…
I don’t think my English is good but I’m American…. I survived through Grads School… why do I care! But… we are consistent…. bad as we are.
Look… I apologize if I stumped your tail.
[quote=“Curious Biker”][quote=“Desperado1999”]Anyway, to each his own … I cannot deny the type of accent that we have as these are the side effect of being a multi racial society. We have the Chinese, and amongst them, there are the Hakkas, Hokkiens, Cantonese, Teochews, Hainanese, etc, etc … there’s also the Malays and Indians and the Eurasians living in Singapore. So, you can imagine the type of accent you can from them!
You should not have a problem understanding us when communicating in English to a normal educated Singaporean, the so call “Y” & “Z” generation. However, if you speak with, for example, a fishmonger, in the market, then that’s a different scenario altogether. You would also face a little problem when you speak English to the “X” generation, that is, the earliest imigrants to settle down in the tiny red dot as some might describe our island to be. These people are not educated at all unlike LKY and his equivalent.
In Taiwan, I never have any problem with the Taiwanese understanding my English and Mandarin, both written and spoken. In fact, they were duly impressed that I can speak (Mandarin) albeit with some accent but much better than mainland Chinese, they said. My French counterparts never have any problem understanding my English. On the contrary, my Taiwanese colleague faced great difficulties as they said the French has a very strong accent when speaking Chinese.[/quote]
Dude, don’t take it personal… I’m not picking bones with you…my bad.
It is pretty inconsistent (as you’ve stated) even among the highly educated. I’ve seen some that are real good with both Mandarin and English and in certain remote cases, the individual can be REALLY good with English or Mandarin both verbally and written. But that’s not what we’re fighting over (or… debating). Inconsistency for a Nation’s language is pretty bad – English or Mandarin. You can’t claim English or Mandarin to be your nation’s language when the standards on the street fluctuate like Mexican Pesos. What is consistent across the board with generation A to Z is the Singlish - that, my friend is your National Language.
I don’t get it, every Singaporean I came across insisted that English is the National Language, sold it to S.E. Asian, and some stretched as far as claiming them to be different cuz it’s Queens English. Queens English!! Holly molly!!
Personally, I think if Sing-folks stand tall for your Singlish and Sing-Mandarin (which a ton of American Taiwanese here tend to say… sort of equates to Taiwan-Mandarin I do!! And darn proud of it), no one is gonna pick on you. What’s wrong with Singlish & Sing-Mandarin? There’re Jamaican English, S. African English, yada…yada…
I don’t think my English is good but I’m American…. I survived through Grads School… why do I care! But… we are consistent…. bad as we are.
Look… I apologize if I stumped your tail.[/quote]
American English is definitely consistent when I worked there I couldn’t tell where anyone was from by how they speak.
'coz they were merikens?
'coz they were merikens?[/quote]
I can tell subtle differences between Americans I meet in Taiwan. Same with Canadians, fellow Saffas and Brits. Funny enough, even Ozzies and Kiwis, although to a lesser extent. Sometimes it’s just how a certain word is pronounced. Depends.
[quote=“Curious Biker”][quote=“Desperado1999”]
Look… I apologize if I stumped your tail.[/quote][/quote]
Nah, dun worry … I’m pretty cool with it and thanks for the insight …
[quote=“Desperado1999”][quote=“Curious Biker”][quote=“Desperado1999”]
Look… I apologize if I stumped your tail.[/quote][/quote]
Nah, dun worry … I’m pretty cool with it and thanks for the insight …[/quote]
I loved your Lasilamak (sp)… and Roti & curry! 
[quote=“Curious Biker”]
I loved your Lasilamak (sp)… and Roti & curry! [/quote]
It should be:
Nasi Lemark, the name is derived from the cooking process whereby rice is soaked in coconut cream and then the mixture steamed.
Roti Prata, prepared by flipping the dough into a large thin layer before folding the outside edges inwards. The dough will then be heated on a hot plate. Flavourings or toppings, if ordered, can be added either before or after it is flipped, depending on the flavourings or the desired outcome. The ‘tissue’ and ‘paper’ variants are pan-fried with butter, rolled into a cone shape and spinkled with sugar. Best served with curries!
Damn! I missed it alot! Can’t find any close substitute in Taipei though there is a Singaporen restaurant which I found in Taipei but the taste is not the same.
OK, before I swayed out of topic, in conclusion, I gathered from the forum the following:
a. Only passport holders of certain countries are considered as an English native speaker. And I suppose all passport holders of Asian countries are not consider as an English native speaker, even if you migt have been liivng in the States, for example, for a number of years!
b. It is not adviable to get a part-time teaching position on your own. The advice is “DO BUT DON’T GET CAUGHT”!
Sigh! There goes my “dream” …
Well, think about it this way. Some of the guys here have been living in Taiwan for 7, 10, 15 or 20 years. Would you want any of them to teach your kids Chinese? At NT$600/hour?
Well, think about it this way. Some of the guys here have been living in Taiwan for 7, 10, 15 or 20 years. Would you want any of them to teach your kids Chinese? At NT$600/hour?[/quote]
Why not? I have taught Chinese writing classes to young kids to get their stroke order correct.
[quote=“Desperado1999”]a. Only passport holders of certain countries are considered as an English native speaker. And I suppose all passport holders of Asian countries are not consider as an English native speaker, even if you migt have been liivng in the States, for example, for a number of years!
b. It is not adviable to get a part-time teaching position on your own. The advice is “DO BUT DON’T GET CAUGHT”!
Sigh! There goes my “dream” …[/quote]
You can teach part time ( safely ) if you can get a work permit. We don’t have an issue with that.
PS I hold a Taiwan passport but am considered a native speaker of English.
Tetapi Saya berasal dari negri orang putih. Saya juga boleh cakap sangat bahasa dan saya menagar bahasa Malay di sekolah bahasa. Saya sudah lupa sangat kata kata bahasa Malay.
Well, think about it this way. Some of the guys here have been living in Taiwan for 7, 10, 15 or 20 years. Would you want any of them to teach your kids Chinese? At NT$600/hour?[/quote]
Why not?[/quote]
Because you’re not a native speaker.
:ohreally: And they paid you for that? No offense, but if they started using non-native Chinese speakers to teach Chinese at my kid’s school I’d have him out of there quicker than you can say, “I have an ROC ID card.”
:ohreally: And they paid you for that? No offense, but if they started using non-native Chinese speakers to teach Chinese at my kid’s school I’d have him out of there quicker than you can say, “I have an ROC ID card.”[/quote]
But are you now saying that non native speakers should never teach the local languages?
Well thats a bit too much. There are plenty of expats in Taiwan whose Chinese is good enough to teach. However they are usually working in other fields. There is also a foreinger writing policy and research papers in Chinese at Academia Sinica, where usually the least qualified employees have one of 2 Phd’s and the odd Nobel prize thrown in. You wouldn"t want that foreigner teaching your kids then either? :loco: :loco:
But you would be right, he be wasted teaching Chinese to kindy aged kids.
[quote=“Satellite TV”][quote=“Desperado1999”]a. Only passport holders of certain countries are considered as an English native speaker. And I suppose all passport holders of Asian countries are not consider as an English native speaker, even if you migt have been liivng in the States, for example, for a number of years!
b. It is not adviable to get a part-time teaching position on your own. The advice is “DO BUT DON’T GET CAUGHT”!
Sigh! There goes my “dream” …[/quote]
You can teach part time ( safely ) if you can get a work permit. We don’t have an issue with that.
PS I hold a Taiwan passport but am considered a native speaker of English.
Tetapi Saya berasal dari negri orang putih. Saya juga boleh cakap sangat bahasa dan saya menagar bahasa Malay di sekolah bahasa. Saya sudah lupa sangat kata kata bahasa Malay.[/quote]
Sat, why do you think he can teach legally part time? He is not legally considered a native speaker in Taiwan, he is not supposed to teach English. He can’t teach English legally. Could you please cite your sources as to why he can legally teach part-time? We have a list that the MOE cites as the Bible as to which nationalities are considered native speakers who can teach English in their point of view. Anything else is, as far as we know, a risk of being sent home quickly and unpleasantly. Thsi is in no regards related to his ability or race or otherwise, it is just the law and that is the way the cookie crumbles.
:ohreally: And they paid you for that? No offense, but if they started using non-native Chinese speakers to teach Chinese at my kid’s school I’d have him out of there quicker than you can say, “I have an ROC ID card.”[/quote]
But are you now saying that non native speakers should never teach the local languages?
Well thats a bit too much. There are plenty of expats in Taiwan whose Chinese is good enough to teach. However they are usually working in other fields. There is also a foreinger writing policy and research papers in Chinese at Academia Sinica, where usually the least qualified employees have one of 2 Phd’s and the odd Nobel prize thrown in. You wouldn"t want that foreigner teaching your kids then either? :loco: :loco:
But you would be right, he be wasted teaching Chinese to kindy aged kids.[/quote]
Exactly. The very very very few who possibly could teach Chinese to native Chinese speaking kids would be totally wasting their talents and/or qualifications.
Do you have two PhDs and a Noble Prize? No? Well, I think I’ll stick with the native speaking kindy and elementary school teachers then.
Nah I’ve done far better than that :roflmao:
Yes I’d be wasted teaching Chinese to these little persons.
Teach legally, yes maybe but not English. How about Malay?
Sorry wasn’t not meaning to imply ( she? ) could get a work permit teaching English as a Singaporean. IF IF IF big if right?
Yes it is just the law and the way the cookie crumbles.
Nah I’ve done far better than that :roflmao:[/quote]
Oddly enough, in your way your sure have. 
You still aint teaching my kid Chinese though… 