Singapore has enlisted a drag-queen comedian to give its people grammar lessons, as part of a long-running drive to encourage the correct use of English, for fear that weak language skills could dent its reputation as a business hub.
Foreigners visiting the tiny affluent Southeast Asian island state occasionally find themselves bemused in conversation with Singaporeans, many of whom speak in a mishmash of broken English, Chinese dialect and Malay, popularly known as Singlish.
Despite a 15-year-long campaign to improve the use of English in the city-state, most of its population of around 5.4 million has stayed resistant to what they see as curbs on an integral element of their culture.
Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社
Singlish evolved from the speech of the diverse ethnic groups that make up modern Singapore and is often seen as a common patois that unites its citizens. Its best-known uses include tags such as “lah” or “leh” to add emphasis at the end of sentences.
While Singaporeans in the Central Business District mostly speak standard English in order to be understood by foreigners, Singlish is still the main dialect in use across the rest of the island, and many nationals object to being told how to speak.
(Liberty Times)
新加坡請來一位變裝女王喜劇演員教導民眾英文文法，這是星國政府鼓勵民眾使用正確英語的長期政策一環，當局擔心人民語言能力降低，恐損及新加坡身為商業樞紐的聲譽。
造訪這個東南亞富裕小島的外國人，在和星國人對話時，偶爾會感到困惑，因為許多星國人講的是混雜了英語、華語方言及馬來語等元素的星式英語。
儘管星國政府推動正確英語運動已長達十五年，但全國五百四十萬人口中的大多數人仍持抗拒心態，並視其為刻意遏制星國文化中所不可或缺的部分。
星式英語是由組成現代新加坡的多元族裔語言演化而來，通常被視為能讓所有公民團結一致的通用土語。星式英語最為人熟知的用法，包括在句尾加上「啦」或「哩」等字，用以加強語氣。
雖然在中央商務區工作的星國人多半會說標準英語，以利和外國人溝通，但在星國其他地區，星式英語依然是最主要的語言，許多星國人更反對由政府來指導他們如何說話。
（自由時報／翻譯：俞智敏）
A: Wow, singer Bruno Mars will be visiting Kaohsiung for the first time. B: Really? Where will he be performing? A: He’s going to hold a concert at the National Stadium on Sunday. B: Why do the Taiwanese like to call him the “Martian” in Chinese? A: Because his last name “Mars” is the same word as the planet Mars. A: 哇！火星人布魯諾將首度唱進高雄。 B: 真的嗎？在哪裡？ A: 他將於本週日，在國家體育場開唱唷。 B: 但是為什麼台灣人喜歡叫他火星人呢？ A: 因為他的姓氏「Mars」這個字剛好是「火星」的意思啊。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
A: Bruno Mars is definitely one of today’s most popular singers. B: He has even won 14 Grammy Awards. A: I love all his megahits, like “Just the Way You Are.” B: And his new song with Lady Gaga “Die with a Smile” has a caused worldwide sensation. A: I wonder if we’ll hear the new song at his Kaohsiung concert? A: 火星人布魯諾是近年來最受歡迎的流行歌手。 B: 對啊他還曾榮獲14座葛萊美獎。 A: 他所有的金曲我都愛，像《Just the Way You Are》。 B: 最近他和女神卡卡合唱《Die with a Smile》更造成大轟動！ A: 不知道在高雄有沒有機會聽他演唱這首新歌呢？ (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Foxes are known for being cunning and resourceful, but a study suggests another surprising talent. Research from the Czech Republic indicates these creatures may use the Earth’s magnetic field when hunting. The study, led by Jaroslav ?erveny, tracked wild red foxes for over two years, recording nearly 600 hunting leaps by 84 foxes. Researchers found the animals predominantly jumped in a northeasterly direction, regardless of the time of day, season, or weather conditions. This preferred leaping direction resulted in a much higher kill rate, with foxes finding success on 73 percent of their northeasterly pounces on their prey. The results prompted
A few new policies take effect this month, with the following most likely to affect our daily life. Nationwide ban on disposable plastic cups in beverage shops According to the Ministry of Environment’s “Parties Subject to and Means for Single-use Takeaway Beverage Cups Restrictions” implemented on July 1, 2022, beverage shops are required to offer a NT$5 discount for customers who bring their own cups, and all local governments will be required to devise schedules to phase out single-use beverage cups. With the nationwide ban taking effect from this month, it is expected that the number of disposable plastic cups will be
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