Singapore—known variously as the “Lion City” or “Garden City,” the latter for its many parks and tree-lined streets—has also been called “instant Asia” because it offers the tourist an expeditious glimpse into the cultures brought to it by immigrants from all parts of Asia.
Singapore is referred to in old Javanese and Malay literature as Temasek. The Nagarakretagama, a Javanese eulogy written in 1365, names a settlement on the island as Tumasik. The name appears twice in the Malay Annals before it is replaced by "Singapura" following Sang Nila Utama's arrival upon the island.
Singapore's name is itself derived from 'Singa Pura' (which means "Lion City"). According to the Malay Annals, Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Palembang, gave this name to the island after he came ashore and saw a creature he believed to be a lion.
Later, the city was known as Temasek ("Sea Town"), when the first settlements were established from AD 1298-1299. During the 14th century, this small but strategically-located island earned a new name.
Singaporeans are the citizens and nationals of the sovereign island city-state of Singapore. Singapore is home to a people of a variety of ethno-racial origins, with the city-state itself being a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-religious, and multi-lingual country.
Sia (or rather, “sial”) is used for emphasis. It doesn't strictly replace “eh” or “ah”. In Malaysia the normal context would be “cursed” or “damned”. But in Singapore it's often used to exaggerate the point. Think of it as a “bloody” or “effin'”.
Singapore's four official languages are Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English. Because of its bilingual education policy, most citizens speak two or more languages — usually English, their ethnic mother tongue, and potentially others.
The population of Singapore is diverse, the result of considerable past immigration. Chinese predominate, making up some three-fourths of the total. Malays are the next largest ethnic group, and Indians the third. None of those three major communities is homogeneous.
Singapore previously had been under the sovereignty of the British Empire since the early 19th century. After gaining its independence from the British Empire in 1963, Singapore briefly joined the Federation of Malaysia, before breaking away for independent sovereignty in 1965.
Similar to the Mandarin name, these terms are direct phonetic translations of the English name. However, among Cantonese and Hokkien speakers, Singapore is also known as the Lion City (狮城, Sī-siâⁿ) or the Little Red Dot.
Singapore became a very rich country by implementing measures such as mandatory allocation of 10% of Singaporeans' salary to a pension fund, creating strategic state-owned companies, limiting the growth of the public service, privatizing loss-making companies, and maintaining a strong currency.
From the city's stunning skyline to iconic landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands and the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore is jam-packed with iconic attractions. The seamless mix of technology, innovation, and natural beauty makes visiting Singapore an unforgettable experience.
How big is Singapore? Half the size of London (278 sq miles), How many nature trails does it plan to build? 400 MILES worth. These 'park connectors' will gradually link up all of its considerable areas of parkland and rainforest to walkers and cyclists.
Singapore Island originally was inhabited by fishermen and pirates, and it served as an outpost for the Sumatran empire of Srīvijaya. In Javanese inscriptions and Chinese records dating to the end of the 14th century, the more-common name of the island is Tumasik, or Temasek, from the Javanese word tasek (“sea”).
The Colony of Singapore was a Crown colony of the United Kingdom that encompassed what is modern-day Singapore from 1946 to 1958. During this period, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Labuan were also administered from Singapore.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Worldwide Cost of Living 2021 report, Singapore stands second on the list of the costliest cities in the world. Furthermore, Singapore is the most expensive city in Asia. Singapore, the lion city, is 197.79% costlier than Bangalore.
Although Standard Singapore English (SSE) is mainly influenced by British English and, recently, American English, there are other languages that also contribute to its use on a regular basis.
Source The most widely spoken language in Singapore is English. It is spoken by a majority of the population and is a medium of instruction in schools and the official language of business and government. Being a former Crown Colony, the English used in Singapore is based on British English.
'Lah' is the simplest and most iconic word in Singlish – think 'yeah mate' in Australia or 'eh' in Canada. But what if we told you it has no meaning? 'Lah' is simply used to add emphasis after an expression after a statement. How to use it: "What's for lunch today?" "Chicken rice sounds good lah!" "Okay can!"
"sia/siah" - used at the end of sentence, to express emphasis of something, usually surprise and shock. tio - with the same meaning as kena, but can be used to express both positive and negative scenarios. wah - same as wow-lau, used to express surprise or shock.
“I've got no choice, So I just did it lor.” (Here, “lor” is used to express acceptance or resignation.) “I didn't know you have to do it like that leh.” (Here, “leh” is used to show uncertainty, a little more doubtful compared to “lah”.)
