Showing 1-7 of 7 entries tagged
“World English”
mani-pedi
OED editors are researching the term ‘mani-pedi’, meaning ‘a beauty treatment comprising both a manicure and a pedicure’. This word has been commonly used throughout […]
shiok
‘Shiok’ is a borrowing from Malay that has acquired multiple uses and meanings in everyday Singapore English. It is an exclamation expressing admiration or approval, just like ‘cool!’ and ‘great!’ It is also an adjective that describes delicious food or a superb meal, or […]
sabo
‘Sabo’, an abbreviated form of the English word sabotage, is a Singaporean slang term that means tricking people or intentionally making trouble for them, especially to gain a personal advantage. The word can be used as both a noun and a verb […]
shroff
‘Shroff’ is a word whose use in English can be traced back to colonial times. An Anglo-Indian corruption of the Persian borrowing saraf, it was used to refer to local bankers and money changers in former British territories in Asia such as India, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Today, the word has almost completely fallen out of use, except in Hong Kong English, where it has taken on the more modern sense of a cashier or […]
add oil
‘Add oil’ is an expression that has gained a lot of currency in Hong Kong in the last few years. A literal translation of the Cantonese phrase ga yao, it [..]
kilig
‘Kilig’ is a borrowing from Tagalog that has taken on a variety of meanings and uses in Philippine English. The word can be used as a noun to refer to the thrill caused by an exciting or romantic experience, or […]
teleserye
‘Teleserye’ is the Philippine English word for a television soap opera, combining tele- from television with the Tagalog word for series, serye. The word was apparently first used in […]