#spyld posts

This 7th of May, 2025, we use our own language again!

If your language, native or not, is something other than English, on May 7th you can speak that language all day!

You’ll blog in your chosen language(s) all day: text posts, replies, tags (except triggers and organisational tags).

Regardless of what language people choose to speak to you, you can answer in your own.

Non-verbal, non-written languages (like sign language and dialects) are more than welcome! See my FAQ for tips

English native speakers can participate in any other language they're studying/have studied/know.

The tag is gonna be #Speak Your Language Day or #spyld for short.

Please submit me some language facts for me to share on this day <3

Singlish

*Ahem*

First ah, I got one chart I sui sui found on google just for this.

I give yall examples:

1. Alamak (Malay)

“Alamak, why like that?” = “Oh my god, how did things turn out this way?”

Same meaning as “Walao eh!” (Hokkien)

2. Makan (Malay)

“Eh, this kopitiam like not bad sia, wan makan here anot?” = “Hey, this food place seems pretty popular, do you want to eat here?”

3. Lah, Lor, Leh, Meh

“Can lah.” = “Of course!”

“Liddat lor.” = “It’s just like that.”

“This leh?” = “What about this?”

“Can meh?” = “Is this possible?”

4. Paiseh (Hokkien)

“Ey shit, paiseh ah, forgot liao.” = “Oh no, I’m sorry, I forgot this.”

(Yes “shit” is somehow not a curse word here, everyone says it all the time, including children. Nobody censors it.)

5. Kaypoh or KPO (Hokkien)

“You ah, sibei kaypoh leh.” = “Why are you such a busybody?”

6. Steady

“Eh, you damn steady ah.” = “Wow, you’re pretty good at this.”

(I don’t know why it’s here, I hardly ever hear this anymore.)

7. Shiok (Hokkien)

This one my favourite.

“Wah air-con damn shiok sia…” = “Wow, the air-conditioned room feels so refreshing.”

(I think people in Florida feel our pain. 35 deg C, 85% HUMIDITY AND NO SEASONS ISTG—)

8. Bo liao (Hokkien)

“Ey you damn bo liao sia…” = “You have nothing better to do.”

9. Kiasu (Hokkien)

“My ahma sibei kiasu. Go pasar malam in the morning for what?” = “My grandma is so impatient! Why would she go to the night market in the morning?”

(Hah. FOMO? Kiasu came first. It’s literally in our blood. Singaporeans are allergic to waiting.)

10. Atas (Malay)

“Wah this restaurant so atas confirm plus chop sibei ex one!” = “Wow, this restaurant is so extravagant, it must definitely be expensive to eat here!”

Other notable phrases:

1. Abuden

Combination of “A-Bo” = “if not” (Hokkien) and “then” (English). Meaning: Duh.

2. Blur

Used to describe some who is absent-minded, inattentive or clumsy. A common phrase is “Blur Sotong”. Sotong is Malay for squid.

Example: “You blur like sotong.”

3. Goondu

Tamil origin. Used to describe a clumsy or fat person.

Example: “You goondu.”

4. Chope

Malay origin, evolved from the word “cap” which is “to mark” or “to stamp”. Means to claim or reserve something.

Example: “This seat I chope already hor, don’t anyhow ah…” = “I’ve already reserved this seat so don’t try anything funny…”

(Yes yes, our infamous choping culture. It’s a trend btw. I think the wildest thing I’ve seen someone used to chope a seat was their phone. Yep. Not kidding.)

5. Siao

Hokkien origin. Means “crazy”.

Example: “You siao is it?” = “Are you crazy?”

6. Kaki

Malay origin. Means friend.

Example: “Eh don’t go home late ah, later you end up got kaki then you know.” = “Don’t come home late, or else you might invite a ‘friend’ on your way home.”

ENG: i'm enjoying this whole posting in italian thing so now you're getting another one of my essays- which i think is one of the best things i've ever written (use google translate or something)

CORO La vicenda si svolge nell’aldilà, nel labirintico supermercato che tutte le anime sono costrette ad attraversare per raggiungere la pace eterna. Si tratta infatti di una sorta di pellegrinaggio nel quale le anime riflettono sulla loro vita terrena mentre vagano per le corsie alla ricerca di un’uscita. In questo luogo si incontrano alcuni celebri personaggi: l’eroico Don Chisciotte della Mancia, il suo fedele compagno Sancio Panza e il principe di Danimarca Amleto.

its also the reason that consonants become softer as languages evolve, and why most languages have an upper class dialect with stricter language rules, while dialects with more "lazy" styles are treated as lower class.

also also its the reason linguistics believe the earliest languages used clicks, because its such a complex vocal sound, most languages have evolved away from it

thank u for letting me rant abt this, i listened to an audiobook a decade ago and i've been waiting for an opportunity ever since!

Némelyek turkálni kezdtek a padban a könyvek közt; a rendesebbek megtörülték a tollaikat; Boka becsukta a kicsiny, piros bőrrel bevont zsebtintatartóját, melynek igen ügyes szerkezete volt, úgyhogy sose folyt ki belőle a tinta, csak akkor, ha zsebre vágta az ember; Csele összeszedte a lapokat, amelyek nála a könyveket helyettesítették, mert Csele gigerli volt, és nem pakolta a hóna alá az egész könyvtárát, mint a többi, hanem csak a szükséges lapokat szokta volt elhozni, ezeket is gondosan elosztva összes külső és belső zsebeiben; Csónakos az utolsó padban akkorát ásított, mint valami unatkozó víziló; Weisz kifordította a zsebét, és kiszórta belőle az összes délelőtti morzsákat, melyek ama kifliből maradtak ott, amelyet Weisz a tíz órától egy óráig terjedő időközben a zsebéből evett ki darabonként; Geréb csoszogni kezdett a pad alatt a lábával, mint aki úgy tesz, mintha föl akarna állani; Barabás pedig minden szemérem nélkül terítette a pad alatt térdére a viaszkosvásznat, nagyság szerint rakván bele a könyveket, s majd egy szíjjal akkorát húzván rajta, hogy a pad is megreccsent, és ő maga belevörösödött - egyszóval mindenki előkészületeket tett a távozásra, s csak egyedül a tanár úr nem vett tudomást arról, hogy öt perc múlva vége lesz mindennek, mert a tanár végighordozta szelíd tekintetét a sok buksi gyerekfej fölött, és így szólt:

- Mi az?

[sent in for last year's spyld]