The Complete Eh, Goondu! by Sylvia Toh Paik Choo

Author:Sylvia Toh Paik Choo [Choo, Sylvia Toh Paik]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789814677486
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Dia no mood lah...

ABC-Peh-Gong

Initially speaking, you know I know okay lah. Say again? Initially spea...

Say Again?

Lang Chye Ka Mai Chye

Hokkien

People know until don’t want to know.

It’s not news to us at all, we got wind of it (scandal, scoop, hot gossip) ages ago so don’t expect us to be moved by this revelation, it’s not, sniff, sniff.

Lai Ei, Sio Ei

Hokkien

Come on, hot one.

Not a call to egg your horse on to the finishing line but a warning to stay clear; not necessarily hot (water, soup) approaching. Also Kuan Soi, Kuan Soi. To clear a path for yourself in crowded places.

Mm Sar, Mm See

Hokkien

Not three, not four.

And certainly not seven! No definite number, therefore, it doesn’t make sense, and quite possibly it’s even utter rubbish and sheer nonsense. English, talking in sixes and sevens. We can’t count that far.

Luan-Iuan Lai

Hokkien

Disorderly.

The phrase really means “reckless”. For “any old how, careless, indiscreet,” hence the mix-up and confusion. Like the good old “kalang kabut”, “chaotic” in Malay.

Karh-kahr

Hokkien

Daring-daring.

Very bold; not so much courageous because that’s in the vein of “champion” and “hero” and “Hang Tuah,” but having the cheek, the gall, the nerve. E.g. “Karh-kahr, five days never change underwear.”

Suka-suka

Malay (but integrated into dialect Chinese)

Like-like.

Doing as and when you please. Laid back, if you please. Your grandfather’s road, your grandfather’s exam. Leisurely. Part of our army is made up of karh-kahr and suka-suka peng.

Curly-curly Hair

English

As if by repeating it it would make his hair twice as curly. Adjective. “That one, in sales, sitting in front of the secretary, the one with the curly-curly hair, everytime eat watermelon one.”

Early-early Don’t Say

English

Literal translation from Hokkien. For “Why didn’t you mention it sooner?” “You should have brought it up at the beginning”. Almost always expressed as a lament. Often prefixed by “Now then you say!” When you’ve reached the bus stop, the little one needs the toilet.

Suak-suak

Hokkien

Finish. Complete.

Forget about it. It was no big deal, let’s end the topic, chalk it up as experience and close the case. Said good-naturedly. And likely to involve a small sum of money or some other slight misunderstanding.

Chuak-chuak

Hokkien

Fright-fright. Scared-scared.

Gave me a right proper start it did. Not shock as in trauma but rather the heart skipping a beat. Same as “don’t frighten me” in Tuckshop Talk.

Kuah-kuah

Hokkien

Look-look.

Browse. Windowshop. Hang around. Mooch about. Look-see, look-see as we repeatedly say. “Ai kuahkuah mai?” American “Shall we case the joint?” Kill-time past-time, favourite sport of the Singaporean.

Angry, Angry Lah

English

“Well, if he wants to find that offensive that’s his prerogative but I’m not going to let him louse up my day.” And this from the guy who got HIM angry in the first place!

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