Abbreviations and Glossary Terms
arb.
Arabic
b.m
Bahasa Melayu (Malay)
d.hokk.
Hokkien
sl.
slang
l.abbr.
local abbreviation
man.
MandarinProject
air-con [sl.]
Air conditioning
high tide [sl.]
Refers to an urgent need to use the washroom.
lah [sl.]
A term, borrowed from Malay, typically used at the ends of words or phrases for emphasis.
Wahlau [sl.]
A term of emphasis that can be translated as ‘Oh my goodness!’, ‘Damn!’ etc.
PAP [l.abbr.]
People’s Action Party, the ruling party in Singapore.
shee-shee [sl.]
Pass urine
seow [sl.]
Behaving abnormally, crazy
lor / ah [sl.]
A term used in colloquial Singaporean English, typically used at the ends of words or phrases for emphasis.
Aiyah [sl.]
An exclamation to express dismay, desperation, exasperation etc.Video
Ka’abah
A cube-shaped structure in Mecca that is considered the holiest site in Islam.
holy zam-zam water
Water from a sacred well near the Ka’abah.
Assalaamualaikum [b.m.]
Greeting used among Muslims which means ‘peace be upon you’.
MRT [l.abbr]
Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore’s train system.
Ayah [b.m.]
Father
Mak [b.m.]
Mother, also used as a term of address for senior Malay women
Makcik [b.m.]
A term for aunt
IC [l.abbr]
Or NRIC, National Registration Identity Card. This is the document of identification used in Singapore and possessed by every citizen or permanent resident who is fifteen or older.Orphan
BBC
British Broadcasting CorporationCorridor
kampung [b.m.]
VillageCubicle
JC [l.abbr]
Junior CollegeUmbrella
Normal
An academic stream in secondary school, besides the express and special streams.
PSLE [l.abbr]
Primary School Leaving Examinations, a compulsory nationwide examination for all Primary 6 pupils to progress to secondary school.
Ten-year-series
Compilation of ten years’ worth of ‘O’ level examination papers.
Steady [sl.]
In a relationshipBugis
tudung [b.m.]
A headscarf worn by Muslim women.
kutu [b.m.]
Head lice
manja [b.m.]
Derived from the Malay word meaning “to pamper”; in this case it describes coquettish behaviour.
kaypoh [d.hokk./man]
Nosy or prying
Mats [sl./b.m.]
A generic term for a working-class Malay male.
baju kurung [b.m.]
Traditional Malay attire for women consisting of a knee-length blouse worn over a long skirtBirthday
ECA [l.abbr]
Extra-curricular activity, one of many hobby-based organisations that a school offers over and above its standard study curriculum.
sotong [b.m.]
Squid
Lontong [b.m.]
Sliced rice roll served with a coconut-based vegetable stew.
Mee Rebus [b.m.]
An egg noodle dish with sweet gravy sauce.
adik [b.m.]
Younger sibling
VCR
Video cassette recorder, a now-outdated gadget that uses removable cassettes to record and play back television programmes.
Kadi [b.m.]
An official appointed to solemnise Muslim marriages
Sah [b.m.]
Valid or in order
kaya
A jam made from coconuts and eggs.
sayang [b.m.]
Love, used as a term of endearment.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alfian Sa’at is a Resident Playwright with W!LD RICE. His published works include three collections of poetry, One Fierce Hour, A History of Amnesia and The Invisible Manuscript, a collection of short stories, Corridor, a collection of flash fiction, Malay Sketches, two collections of plays as well as the published play Cooling-Off Day.
Alfian has been nominated eight times for Best Script at the Life! Theatre Awards, eventually winning in 2005 for ‘Landmarks’, in 2010 for ‘Nadirah’, and in 2013 for ‘Kakak Kau Punya Laki’ (‘Your Sister’s Husband’). In 2011, Alfian was awarded the Boh-Cameronian Award in Malaysia for Best Book and Lyrics for the musical ‘The Secret Life of Nora’. In 2013, he won the Boh-Cameronian Award for Best Original Script for the play ‘Parah’.
In 2001, Alfian won the Golden Point Award for Poetry as well as the National Arts Council Young Artist Award for Literature. He has also been nominated for the Kiriyama Asia-Pacific Book Prize and the Singapore Literature Prize for A History of Amnesia. His short fiction collection Malay Sketches was longlisted for the Frank O’Connor Prize in 2013. His plays and short stories have been translated into German, Swedish, Danish and Japanese and have been read and performed in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane, Melbourne, London, Zürich, Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm.
About Ethos BooksGiving voice to emerging and exciting writers from diverse backgrounds, we help foster an environment in which literature and the arts not only survive, but thrive.
That’s why our authors and their ideas come first. By taking a collaborative approach to publishing, we bring each author’s voice and vision to fruition.
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