Like I said before, the Caucasians have a beautiful way of expressing themselves.
For example, how my Australian BFF goes:
Is there enough room, JL?
as opposed to our very M'sian
Eh, enough space anot?
Well, in another class, he said:
...... and on the other side (of the paper) as well
what do we say in M'sia?
.... oh, at the back also got. (LOL!)
and I remember when we were discussing our presentation parts, as in which part we wanted to do/liked to do. It went something like this:
Hey, JL. So, which part would you like to do? Any preferences at all?
As opposed to:
Eh! So, do what-ah?/which one?
Isn't English an amazing language? LOL.
And yes, I have to agree with Marianna. Her point about the amount of language spoken. The Asians generally don't speak much. HINT: Talk to me... and you'll realise how MUCH I speak. The Caucasians on the other hand GIVE OUT information too freely! Which is what I find MOST amazing about them. LOL. If you're a Malaysian, and you give out too much info about yourself, you'd be deeemed talkative or err.. a show-off-er... and the one forcing you to open up will be called 'penyibuk'. Right????
Hehe...
PS: I stumbled upon her OLD blog :)
09 January 2013
2009 Humorous Speech Contest by Marianna Pascal.avi
I swear, this IS EXACTLY why FOREIGNERS... like the awesome exchange students I've met LOVE OUR ENGLISH... a.k.a. Malaysian English
08 January 2013
Wanna challenge yourself?
WRITE a THESIS.
Not KIDDING.
It will make you realise that:
1) your vocabulary isn't as good as you think it is...
2) you really have to put your thinking cap on
3) even as I'm writing this proposal to be submitted, I'm struggling so badly.
4) Eh, what happened to my English? I thought I was FLUENT.
5) Writing for academic purposes is ALMOST like FLYING to the MOON.
6) Despite how many essays they've given you in your first three years at uni, you still find yourself saying: Huh? I thought I knew...
Fingers crossed, I'm actually going back to write my thesis... otherwise, I just wasted time doing my proposal.
Not KIDDING.
It will make you realise that:
1) your vocabulary isn't as good as you think it is...
2) you really have to put your thinking cap on
3) even as I'm writing this proposal to be submitted, I'm struggling so badly.
4) Eh, what happened to my English? I thought I was FLUENT.
5) Writing for academic purposes is ALMOST like FLYING to the MOON.
6) Despite how many essays they've given you in your first three years at uni, you still find yourself saying: Huh? I thought I knew...
Fingers crossed, I'm actually going back to write my thesis... otherwise, I just wasted time doing my proposal.
01 January 2013
Last year
The amazing things I was taught last year:
1) Publishing my first ever article on NYE. It certainly had taught me that WRITING isn't just about HAVING FUN with WHAT you write. It's about having the ability to CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE, PATIENCE to write, COURAGE to express what you want to say, DETERMINATION to FINISH what you've started. Of course, WORD POWER and KNOWLEDGE come in handy too :)
2) Making mistakes is OKAY as long as you don't make the same mistake OVER and OVER again. - Related to point no. 1.
3) Meeting new people, making friends with some of the most bubbly exchange students. It was HELL SCARY at first because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to understand them, or more specifically their (thick) accents. Initially thought that they were going to judge us especially if we're not fluent in the English language. They turned out to be QUITE a NICE bunch. :) They taught me what no textbook could teach me, what my parents have failed to teach me properly. But most of all, I learnt that they can be the most beautiful people ever. They'd be the ones to lift your spirits high, calm you when you're extremely nervous, tell you that everything's going to be alright. Pretty supportive, don't you think?
4) It's okay not to get Distinctions.
Life isn't all about grades. Well, of course they matter to some extent but last year, when I didn't get what I wanted, it was painful... brutal if you'd allow me to say so. Then again, I came back stronger the following semester, telling myself, I need a good break from the laptop sometimes... and I guess it paid off because I had MUCH better grades the second-half of the year :)
1) Publishing my first ever article on NYE. It certainly had taught me that WRITING isn't just about HAVING FUN with WHAT you write. It's about having the ability to CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE, PATIENCE to write, COURAGE to express what you want to say, DETERMINATION to FINISH what you've started. Of course, WORD POWER and KNOWLEDGE come in handy too :)
2) Making mistakes is OKAY as long as you don't make the same mistake OVER and OVER again. - Related to point no. 1.
3) Meeting new people, making friends with some of the most bubbly exchange students. It was HELL SCARY at first because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to understand them, or more specifically their (thick) accents. Initially thought that they were going to judge us especially if we're not fluent in the English language. They turned out to be QUITE a NICE bunch. :) They taught me what no textbook could teach me, what my parents have failed to teach me properly. But most of all, I learnt that they can be the most beautiful people ever. They'd be the ones to lift your spirits high, calm you when you're extremely nervous, tell you that everything's going to be alright. Pretty supportive, don't you think?
4) It's okay not to get Distinctions.
Life isn't all about grades. Well, of course they matter to some extent but last year, when I didn't get what I wanted, it was painful... brutal if you'd allow me to say so. Then again, I came back stronger the following semester, telling myself, I need a good break from the laptop sometimes... and I guess it paid off because I had MUCH better grades the second-half of the year :)
30 December 2012
you're one clever cookie
hmm, I've too much time on my hands now; I've been searching for the origin of "clever cookie"
Some said it's used in Australian English
Other sites seem to say it is of US origin, adding that it is not as popularly used today compared to in the days of Humphrey Bogart. LOL.
And that the UK has its own version....?
This is the problem when you mix with the exchange students particularly Australians, not like I've many... less than 5 okay? And the trouble is she's an English major. Z just used that expression to describe me. I guess it's a good thing? Right?
Some said it's used in Australian English
Other sites seem to say it is of US origin, adding that it is not as popularly used today compared to in the days of Humphrey Bogart. LOL.
And that the UK has its own version....?
This is the problem when you mix with the exchange students particularly Australians, not like I've many... less than 5 okay? And the trouble is she's an English major. Z just used that expression to describe me. I guess it's a good thing? Right?
29 December 2012
it was pretty while it lasted
you know, my ESBFF has been 'liking' my uni-related statuses on ________ (where else? lol)
then, he'd make me smile and think of ALL the memories we had together in uni. 5-6 months of...
I don't know. I thought my statuses are quite neutral, most of the time... but some people just couldn't help it, I guess. Either that, or my statuses must've been pretty impactful. Haha. :)
Every single memory just flashed by. Sorry I cannot help it.
From the shy me in week 2 and your very random intro to your Aussie friends
to how excited we were when we were on _________ :)
to the casual conversation in the cafeteria
to that 'HEY' before lecture that MADE everyone's heads turn and jaws drop
to that one time during group discussion, I thought you didn't enjoy talking to me anymore... but then, you came out of class and took the elevator with me instead and needless to say, TALK some more.
followed by more and more and more conversations before class, during class... GOSH.
and so much of positive encouragement esp. our oral presentation week
to that day when you randomly asked me what kind of MUSIC I FANCIED.
to that one time we ALMOST planned something
to that day when you suddenly walked to my table before lecture to ask me how to submit our assignments online (haha, I always thought it should be the other way around because they're actually quite smart - just not in the Asian way.)
to the very last conversation on-campus we had
yes, it was pretty while it lasted
* and yes, I've achieved what I said before about talking to more people. :)
sobsob second-half of 2012 was the best*
then, he'd make me smile and think of ALL the memories we had together in uni. 5-6 months of...
I don't know. I thought my statuses are quite neutral, most of the time... but some people just couldn't help it, I guess. Either that, or my statuses must've been pretty impactful. Haha. :)
Every single memory just flashed by. Sorry I cannot help it.
From the shy me in week 2 and your very random intro to your Aussie friends
to how excited we were when we were on _________ :)
to the casual conversation in the cafeteria
to that 'HEY' before lecture that MADE everyone's heads turn and jaws drop
to that one time during group discussion, I thought you didn't enjoy talking to me anymore... but then, you came out of class and took the elevator with me instead and needless to say, TALK some more.
followed by more and more and more conversations before class, during class... GOSH.
and so much of positive encouragement esp. our oral presentation week
to that day when you randomly asked me what kind of MUSIC I FANCIED.
to that one time we ALMOST planned something
to that day when you suddenly walked to my table before lecture to ask me how to submit our assignments online (haha, I always thought it should be the other way around because they're actually quite smart - just not in the Asian way.)
to the very last conversation on-campus we had
yes, it was pretty while it lasted
* and yes, I've achieved what I said before about talking to more people. :)
sobsob second-half of 2012 was the best*
25 December 2012
W-O-R-D-S
I've come to realize that...
after years of running this blog and other blogs,
after meeting so many different people from different backgrounds,
having a nuclear family who possess "WORD POWER"
and having graduated with an ARTS degree that needs one to show clarity of expression among other things,
WORDS matter - your choice of words.
Okay, wait...
PHRASING matters.
Most of the time, miscommunication happens.
WHY?
because one did not know how to PHRASE well.
as simple as that.
which is why I almost always take ages to do stuff. because I want to phrase well. If you can't wait, then, there's where the problem starts.
-End of story-
after years of running this blog and other blogs,
after meeting so many different people from different backgrounds,
having a nuclear family who possess "WORD POWER"
and having graduated with an ARTS degree that needs one to show clarity of expression among other things,
WORDS matter - your choice of words.
Okay, wait...
PHRASING matters.
Most of the time, miscommunication happens.
WHY?
because one did not know how to PHRASE well.
as simple as that.
which is why I almost always take ages to do stuff. because I want to phrase well. If you can't wait, then, there's where the problem starts.
-End of story-
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