Singapore is a bustling and vibrant city located in the heart of Asia, with a diverse melting pot of cultures and races that contribute to this unique blend of distinct quirks, which makes us Singaporeans. Here are some typical traits of Singaporeans, which we all are familiar with or somewhat guilty of. And even though some are less than desirable, it is all these funny little antics that demonstrate how united we are as one nation.
#1 – Singlish
Singlish is a variation of the English language that has dialects or other languages thrown into the mix. This is a language that is close to the hearts of many Singaporeans. Some even say that you are not truly Singaporean till you master Singlish.
#2 – Foodies
Singaporeans are passionate about their food; we love our food so much that we are willing to travel far for good food. Some are even willing to queue up for hours just to get their hands on a sumptuous deal. Singaporeans are well known as foodies and how can we not be when there is an abundance of good local fare in every corner of the island.
#3 – Choping
“Chope” is a Singlish variation of the word “reserve”. We reserve seats by placing tissue packs on the table. And if we run out of tissue, we get innovative by using other items such as an umbrella, a water bottle or whatever we can lay our hands on.
#4 – Complain
Singaporeans are well known Complain Kings and Queens. We complain about everything under the sun, be it the numerous MRT breakdowns or the rainy weather. Some even complain about being fined for not returning library books on time only to be shamed by the entire nation in return.
#5 – Queuing
Some have even joked that Singaporeans’ pastime is to queue. We queue for almost anything from egg tarts to Hello Kitty. And when we see a queue at a certain food stall, we join the queue too, because if it has a long queue then the food must be good.
#6 – Kiasu
The Kiasu-ness is real. “Kiasu” is a dialect term for “afraid to lose”. Singaporeans in general are afraid of losing out. I guess the new age term would be FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out. We need to be first in everything and win everything. Since young, our parents have drilled in us to strive for top marks in school. And as we grew up, we continue to secretly pit ourselves against our peers. You spot your colleague carrying a new LV bag and the next day you are showing off your Chanel. We know what you did there.