Plethora

I've been rolling that word round my tongue for the past few days. Plethora.

It sounds like a very pretty word. It popped into my mind while I was inside a coffee shop, surrounded by a plethora of nations. What sounded like a trio of Iranian BFFs were seated on my right. A group of Chinese Malaysians were a couple of tables away. The woman who served me looked Indian and a Malay couple moments ago had come in, ordering coffee topped with enough whipped cream to send anyone into a diabetic shock. The previous week that I was in there, some students from Africa occupied most of the space. Plethora.

Back home, people's eyes pop out when they see a white person and Koreans are some of the few non-Filipinos scattered about. Here, foreigners are a usual sight. Plethora.

I'd probably use the word more often if the stress was on the "thor". It sounds much dreamier, doesn't it? PleTHORa. But oh well. PLEthora.

English VS Manglish

An officemate ninja-d the one afternoon last week and someone asked me, "He went back already, ah?"

Without missing a beat, I replied, "Yes, went back already."

Omigosh. I've gone Manglish.

If you understood that we were actually talking about someone who had gone home, congratulations. If not, let me present to you a short but useful list of English to Manglish translations:

• English: Going home?
  Manglish: Gong back?
  
• English: I'll drive you.
  Manglish: Follow my car.
  
• English: There's no rice.
  Manglish: The rice is finished.
  
• English: Dine in or takeout?
  Manglish: Having here or take away?
  
• English: Oh you're sick? Poor you.
  Manglish: You sick? Pity you.
  
• English: You're happy, aren't you?
  Manglish: You're happy, isit?
  

Languages are so weird and funny. That's all I can come up with, so far. Stay tuned for another edition after I get myself into more Manglish conversations!

I Love Manglish

Manglish, as in Malaysian English. We got these postcards-slash-coupons from Nando's the other day. I almost let my friend take them home but it's a good thing he didn't. He was visiting from the Philippines - if you read on, you'll see why it won't be of any use to him there.

And it's not just because the whole thing is written in this weird crazy mix of languages:

Transcription with some rough translation:

"Guess what. Nando's is giving out these Just Say Lah postcards, and this one made me think of you! Let me belanja [treat/libre] you 2 pcs Chicken Wings and a bottomles Coca-Cola [oh, yum, let's go!], sure syiok [huh?]. Plus can claim at any Nando's restaurant one. [Try reading that again]. You just show them this postcard, okay liao [oh, so that's how you spell liao]. Eh, don't forget to bring me also lah. [Bring you to Nando's or bring you something from Nando's?]"

"You also got something to say to someone izzit? [Have you? Got you? Errr... Okay, is it.] Go to nandos.com.my/justsaylah and see lah. Lazy ke? Then just scan this code:"

Can you now understand everything, izzit?

Word of the Week: Follow

Follow (verb): Manglish (Malay-English) term which means "go with". Ikut in Bahasa Melayu, sabay in Filipino.

Example: Six of us will go to the restaurant. You follow my car.

Translation: Six of us will go to the restaurant and we'll need two cars to get us there. You can hop inside my car. I'll drive.
In Filipino: Sabay ka na sakin.

Word of the Week: Pencuci Mulut

Pencuci mulut (noun): Bahasa Melayu word for "dessert". When translated, it literally means "mouth washer" or "panhugas ng bunganga".

Example: Saya nak pencuci mulut!
Mari's literal translation: I want to wash this taste off my mouth! I want dessert!

Word of the Week: Terang

Terang (adj): Bahasa Melayu word meaning "vivid" or "bright". 

Example: Lampu ini nak tukar? Yang dalam bilik sudah terang. (Malay repairman conversing with Mari)

Mari's literal translation: Uhhhh - (*looks up "terang" in Google Translate while repairman does his job*) - Oh. "Do you want to change this lamp? The lamp inside the room is already bright."

Congratulate me. The lights in the apartment's hall have now been replaced with bright fluorescent lamps. And yes, they are more "terang".

Word of the Week: Bakar

Bakar (adj): Bahasa Melayu word for "grilled", "toasty", "roasted". Often refers to toasted bread i.e. roti bakar. Today I learned that it is also used to describe lights which have gone out (napundi in Filipino).

Example: Lampu ini sudah bakar. (According to the Malay repairman)
Mari's literal translation: This lamp is toast.