When we say "Jia Lat" in Singapore, we really make something's (or someone) "the sh*t" or it could refer to the situation and that the scenario or facts surrounding the issue could be quite terrible and insurmountable.
It's not a good situation to be in, most definitely not one that everyone enjoys to be in. When someone says "Oh, sh*t, jia lat!" It is usually used in tandem with a corresponding forgetfulness, and in saying so, the problem requires immediate attention to rectify it.
It usually comes with an appropriate sinking feeling as well. Like when you know that you know you have not done something that you should have done. Kind of like leaving the house with the gas stove still on. It's a real "Jia Lat" feeling. :)
Saturday, 29 December 2012
"Global Talent" (GT)
There seems to be a new terminology for foreigners in Singapore. It's a much better and nicer sounding term. "Global Talent" to reflect the smallness of the world as a global village, and at the same time, to further define the term foreign talent and in a sense to differentiate it from its diluted form.
Global Talent now refers to any kind of talent, and not just the blue collar types that come into Singapore as manual laborers or low-skilled to unskilled workers. It could refer to white-collar executive types that are highly mobile, and have transferrable skills that can value-add to any organization that hires them. The key word here is the intangible perceived value-add.
Whether that indeed becomes a successful differentiation or not will depend on the myriad headhunting professionals here trying to re-carve the niche for foreign talent. Singapore needs foreign talent in order to maintain its global competitiveness. It just needs a little more heart in redefining itself. Oh well. I like the new term anyway. ;)
Global Talent now refers to any kind of talent, and not just the blue collar types that come into Singapore as manual laborers or low-skilled to unskilled workers. It could refer to white-collar executive types that are highly mobile, and have transferrable skills that can value-add to any organization that hires them. The key word here is the intangible perceived value-add.
Whether that indeed becomes a successful differentiation or not will depend on the myriad headhunting professionals here trying to re-carve the niche for foreign talent. Singapore needs foreign talent in order to maintain its global competitiveness. It just needs a little more heart in redefining itself. Oh well. I like the new term anyway. ;)
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
"Hao Lian" (HL)
The term "Hao Lian" refers to someone who is typically arrogant or generally aloof in personality and character. This person is also not well liked by friends or peers, and people who may know them would avoid any kind of interaction with them simply because it could potentially be quite stifling.
"Hao Lian" is a Hokkien term used by the locals in relation to someone with an attitude problem. That attitude problem is usually real and the person that has the problem usually think they are not being "hao lian".
In recent years the term "Hao Lian" has been used in a mild sarcastic manner as if to insinuate that a certain person is arrogant but most of the time in a joking manner. This in a sense has somewhat diluted the implications and the usage of the term.
"Hao Lian" is a Hokkien term used by the locals in relation to someone with an attitude problem. That attitude problem is usually real and the person that has the problem usually think they are not being "hao lian".
In recent years the term "Hao Lian" has been used in a mild sarcastic manner as if to insinuate that a certain person is arrogant but most of the time in a joking manner. This in a sense has somewhat diluted the implications and the usage of the term.
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
"Chin Jia Cham" (CJC)
When I was younger, the neighborhood gossipy auntie would go around all the non-working mothers and gather them together for their regular chit-chat sessions. Unfortunately, there will always be one or two non-working mothers that would be left out of the picture, and for good reason too. At least according to the gossipy auntie.
She would make special effort to ensure that the person that she is gossiping about was never present, and the way she went about it was prove of her tenacity as the neighborhood gossip. So in this one occasion I wandered into one of their secret sessions and there they were, all crowded around the stone table by the void deck, yakking away at the juicy details.
Of course I could not understand what the adults were saying then, and the only words that I could hear was "Chin Jia Cham". Apparently, from the little I could decipher from her heavily accented Hokkien, she was referring to a so-and-so non-working mother who obviously was not invited to the gathering, that her husband was caught for some drug-related offenses, and as a result, the family finances became an issue as her estranged husband was incarcerated.
"Chin Jia Cham" is a local slang or expression to refer to someone or a family who are suffering as a result of a direct consequence of another person's action or some circumstances. There is typically a lot of human drama involved, and sometimes, the usage of the term may be overtly exaggerated for effect. "Chin Jia Cham" or in our Singaporean way of explaining it, means "very cham" the nearest English equivalent expression would be "terribly miserable".
She would make special effort to ensure that the person that she is gossiping about was never present, and the way she went about it was prove of her tenacity as the neighborhood gossip. So in this one occasion I wandered into one of their secret sessions and there they were, all crowded around the stone table by the void deck, yakking away at the juicy details.
Of course I could not understand what the adults were saying then, and the only words that I could hear was "Chin Jia Cham". Apparently, from the little I could decipher from her heavily accented Hokkien, she was referring to a so-and-so non-working mother who obviously was not invited to the gathering, that her husband was caught for some drug-related offenses, and as a result, the family finances became an issue as her estranged husband was incarcerated.
"Chin Jia Cham" is a local slang or expression to refer to someone or a family who are suffering as a result of a direct consequence of another person's action or some circumstances. There is typically a lot of human drama involved, and sometimes, the usage of the term may be overtly exaggerated for effect. "Chin Jia Cham" or in our Singaporean way of explaining it, means "very cham" the nearest English equivalent expression would be "terribly miserable".
Monday, 3 December 2012
"Foreign Talent" (FT)
The term Foreign Talent seems to be a generic term for any kind of foreigner working in Singapore, however, in light of the recent debate on the role of these foreign workers and their relevance to Singapore society, it has led to the coining of the acronym "FT". Previously foreigners that worked here were also known as "Expats" or expatriates.
However, some have deputed that the term "Expats" only refer to foreigners of Caucasian origins. I find that interesting though, I always thought that "Expats" was a term referring to a resident living in a foreign country. So "Expats" were really in the quintessential sense of the word, people from another country living in a country other than their own.
Someone called my former company before and asked if we had expatriates working in my company then, and I answered saying "Yes, we have 5". The person went on to ask where they were from, and I replied, "2 from England, 1 American, 1 Australian and 1 Malaysian". The caller immediately said, "Oh, then that's 4 expatriates. We don't consider Malaysians expatriates."
I was mortified to say the least. How is a Malaysian working in Singapore not considered an expatriate? The definition of expatriate means resident residing in another country. Of course there was no answer to my question.
Okay, so we now have a general term to classify everything. "FT" also known as Foreign Talent. I hope everyone is happy with that change. Although I think the term Foreign Talent now carries with it a negative connotation as well. :)
"Kena-PSY" (KPSY)
This is one acronym that has kind of "forced" itself into Singapore culture. It's none other than South Korean super-star slash hero, PSY, or Mr Gangnam style. The rapper turned YouTube phenomenon was seen here in Singapore last Saturday performing at the Marina Bay Sands for next to nothing.
Apparently the short concert was for free and it was snapped up before the duration of the popular Gangnam Style song was over. WOW. I wish I got his kind of success. Then again, I also treasure my personal privacy. So I guess the trade-off here is only to admire from afar and thank God that I don't have to keep up to appearances and performers or "horse" around for everyone to see. I guess in some ways, he enjoys it, but I can see how tiring it must be to be always meeting people.
I guess in some ways we all want to be as famous as PSY, but at the same time, we might not know how to manage the exposure. It seems he is an overall nice guy so far, but really behind that persona we know little else of the man.
Apparently the short concert was for free and it was snapped up before the duration of the popular Gangnam Style song was over. WOW. I wish I got his kind of success. Then again, I also treasure my personal privacy. So I guess the trade-off here is only to admire from afar and thank God that I don't have to keep up to appearances and performers or "horse" around for everyone to see. I guess in some ways, he enjoys it, but I can see how tiring it must be to be always meeting people.
I guess in some ways we all want to be as famous as PSY, but at the same time, we might not know how to manage the exposure. It seems he is an overall nice guy so far, but really behind that persona we know little else of the man.
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