Redditor ‘shocked’ to find out foreigners dislike S’porean accent, some call it ‘low-class’

Redditors who likes Singaporean accent ‘shocked’ that others dislike it, some call it ‘low-class’

The Singaporean accent, or Singlish, is iconic in Singapore. Overseas, it is a point of national identity.

However, a recent Reddit thread has stirred fresh discussion after a Redditor found out that some foreigners dislike the accent.

Redditor ‘shocked’ that others dislike accent

In a 24 June post titled “Do people not like the Singaporean accent?” on the r/askSingapore subreddit, the OP said they were surprised to learn that some people disliked how Singaporeans speak.

They wrote that they personally found the accent “really attractive/cute”, but a friend had told them many people find it unpleasant.

“I haven’t ever been told or knew that there are people that dislike the Singaporean accent, I was kind of shocked,” the OP told MS News.

Curious to learn more, they asked Singaporeans on Reddit to weigh in.

Singaporean was told accent sounded ‘low-class’

The post struck a chord with Singaporeans, many of whom recalled awkward encounters abroad where their accent became the punchline.

One Singaporean shared that a Caucasian man they met at a Bangkok bar told them to “avoid using ‘lah’, ‘leh’, and ‘lor’” because it allegedly made them sound “low-class”.

Another user who worked in Hong Kong said locals often mocked their way of speaking, even saying Singaporeans “don’t speak proper English”.

“Locals do not have anything [to say] positive about Singaporean accent,” they claimed.

Others say it’s endearing when not ‘exaggerated’

Despite the harsh takes, some users noted that some tourists found Singlish “cute” or “charming”, especially when used casually. For some, it added a quirky flair to Singapore’s identity.

But many agreed that it depends on how strong the accent is.

“The heavy and thick accent is annoying and difficult to follow,” one Redditor said.

Another user said they loved the comfort of hearing Singlish at home, but found content creators who overdo it hard to watch.

OP says Singaporean accent feels ‘uniquely snug’

Interestingly, the OP, a West Asian who’s worked with people worldwide, said they “took a liking” to the Singaporean accent.

“I guess it’s cute because it’s so uniquely snug,” they said, adding that the accent feels “honest” and “efficient”.

They likened it to the Italian accent, which they described as having a pleasant cadence.

They described it as “honest and efficient”, listing it among their favourites alongside Queen’s English and Japanese.

“I’m really glad to have learned more about Singapore and the Singaporean accent,” they concluded.

Also read: American living in S’pore wonders if using Singlish is offensive, netizens say it’s endearing

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Featured image adapted from TheSmartLocal and The Tale Weaver.