Oh My English!

Assalamualaikum my dear readers..based on the title of today's post I think everybody knows that it was taken from a TV program in Astro channel. Well the main thing is, I just want to show you guys the incorrect sentences or words that usually used by us. Honestly I am not really good in English and why not I just share with you guys. Maybe you did not realize that you are also make a same mistake. In Malaysia, English has been a second language after Bahasa Malaysia since before we get indipendant from British until now. Even though Bahasa Malaysia is the main language in Malaysia, it is not a problem for us to learn and speak English very well. Let's move on to next paragraph. I would like to show you the mistakes that usually made by us especially Malaysian and Singaporean.

• There is no such things as word 'lah' in English. We do love to add this word whenever we talk each other especially people in Malaysia and Singapore. This word only exist in Bahasa Malaysia.. Example:

          "Are you comming for a dinner tonight?"

          "Of courselah"

           The sentece above with the word 'lah' is INCORRECT

• Repetetive word. I guess you don't understand meaning of repetetive word. Let see this example that shows a mistake usually made by us:

          Ali: Hello, can I speak to Alice.

          Mrs Chong: Sorry, she is not at home.
                             May I know who is on the line?

          Ali: I'm Ali, Alice's friend.

          Mrs Chong: I'm sorry.
                             I'm a little bit deaf. Could you repeat again?

          Ali: ???

What is the mistake that you can see form the dialogue above? Yes, the word "repeat" and "again". Why do you need to use these words together. We already use the word "repeat" and don't even need the second word "again". The sentence from Mrs Chong's dialogue is totally WRONG. So, the CORRECT sentence for this is:

Pardon me? (This sentence can be use if a person is not clear of what a person trying to say. Yes it is suitable to replace the incorrect sentence from the dialogue above)

          or

       

I'm sorry. I'm a little bit deaf. Could you repeat what are you just saying just now?

• Word "open" and "switch on"

Situation- It is sunny day, and James feels hot. While he was study during the sunny day, James saw Wong sits beside the table fan and ask him to switch on the fan. But the dialogue goes like this.

         

          James: Wong, can you open the fan for me.

          Wong: Open? Sure..

         

With no argument, Wong dismental the fan by using screw driver and even the plug. James feel surprise to see it as he thinks Wong did not understand his order. It is not Wong's mistake. It is your mistake James. You said the wrong word.

         Wong, can you open the fan for me?---->INCORRECT

         Wong, can you switch on the fan for me?--->CORRECT

Alright guys. Thats all that I can share with you guys of learning the right English. If there is something new that sounds interesting, I will post it at my blog. Once again I admit that I'm not really good in English, but this not prevent me to share some knowledge like what I posted here. I admit, I also not an Englsih teacher. Guys, English is important for us. Yes, we do have our main language in Malaysia as for me both languages are important. The way to speak and understand English better is reading newspapers,magazines,story books,read news from internet, speak English with other people not only with foreigners or different races (I do speak English with my lecturer when I was a student. No matter we have a same or different races), watching English movies, drama, TV program, news, tune in English radio channel and get used to hear Engslish songs (sometimes it works ok). See you again next time Insyallah..bye