mobile? mobel?

I heard Ryan Secreast saying '[moʊbəl] app' on the radio. It took me a few minutes to figure out what he meant. 

It's actually [mɛʊbaɪl] (mobile)! HAHA.

P/S: I googled the phonetic symbols.Google solves people's problems. 

F is for ...

I heard this in one of Glee's episodes.

"F is for fame and fenomenal (note: it is supposed to be phenomenal)."

She is, of course, phonetically correct because 'ph' is prounced as /f/.

If I was not concentrating, I would think that it is correct. But, the character saying this line is supposed to act like a bimbo.

I think the show sends out the wrong message to someone who can barely spell (like me).

We live in men's world.

I am currently doing assignments for Language and Gender course. We were asked to find any sources that can be discussed in our journal. So, I was looking at Glamour magazine to see if there's anything related to the course. In one edition, I found four articles. Great!

I didn't know gender stereotypes occur in women's magazines as well. I thought women's magazines are supposed to have a feminist point of view. Don't get me wrong, there are some feminist views. But then, there are contradictions to their statements.

"You will be die!"

My six year-old niece was playing video game with my brother and their characters were fighting. In the middle of the game, my niece shouted to my brother confidently, "You will be die! You will be die!"

I was laughing so hard that I had to wake my sister up and tell her the story. I should not have laughed because this might embarrassed and hinder her from speaking English in the future. 

But, the way she said it was really funny that I just had to laugh. I'm mean like that.

Errrr..

I was sick last Thursday and I told my friend that I needed to go home. We live in hostel and most of the time, we tell each other where we're going so that the others would not be worried.

As I was about to leave, my friend said, "Drive safe."

I went blank, smiled and walked away. I thought of saying thank you but then, it would not be appropriate. 

Then, I realised that giving replies is awkward for me because I don't know what to say. People say thank you, I smile. People ask, "one?" I nod.

I think it's because it will take too long before I can find an appropriate answer/ reply so I just don't bother.

What do you call your mother?

I was watching Keeping Up With Kardashians this evening. I've watched the show many times but nothing is good on TV these days. 

There was a scene where Kris Jenner (the mother to the Kardashian clan) was calling Khloe Kardashian (one of the Kardashian sisters) and Khloe said, "oh, it's the Satan calling." 

She called her mother Satan! She's probably being funny. But, sorry I don't find that funny.

I am 110% sure that there are more than enough nouns and adjectives in the dictionaries to describe her mother nicely. 

I also find it weird that sometimes orang putih call their parents/ step-parents/ in-laws by their first name. Or is it just on TV? Someone please explain.

It's not as easy as ABC

I don't know what to do after UBD. Well, I know I need get job as soon as the exams end because I cannot depend on my parents anymore and I have a holiday trip with my friends in July. My parents have given me more than enough financial support.

From the start of my undergraduate year in 2008, I have known that pursuing Masters is the right thing to do because I am the type of person who does things halfway. If I get a job first, then the idea of pursuing Masters is definitely out of the window.  

I talked to my mum & she seems fine with the idea. However, my dad retired from his job last year and everyone knows that money does not grow from trees. 

We have a family business though and maybe I'll just sit around in my parents' shop and greet customers. Just maybe.

Sometimes I wish life decisions can be determined by just flipping a coin. Head: 'pursue Masters'. Tail: 'get a job soon'.

I wish. 

Trolley vs Shopping Cart

A friend of mine was in Florida, USA, last summer. She and her husband wanted to go to Orlando Premium Outlet to get cheap designer goods. So, being foreigners, the wisest thing is to ask the locals. 

They asked a local how to get there and he said, "You should get a trolley."

They were like, "TROLLEY?! What do you mean?" My friend asked the local 'what do you mean?' repeatedly because she wasn't sure she had heard the right thing. 

It turned out that this is trolley. 

In Brunei, this is trolley. Or Tru-li as Bruneians say it.

I am pretty sure that they thought that they would be carried around like this. Haha.

p/s: this post makes me think about my AE. nyeh.

This is a filler post.

To be honest, this post is just to fulfill the 'blog-twice-a-week' mission because Chinese New Year is on Monday (or Sunday)! I know I won't have the time to write a post after tomorrow.

I want angpow. 

 

I have been so immersed with assignments and watching TV series that I forgot CNY is coming soon.

On the other hand, I still have not decided between Phonology and Bilingualism. Being indecisive is my thing. I change my mind in split second which annoys my siblings very much.  

This week, I learnt that lady's finger is also called ...

OKRA!

I got it while watching Everyday Exotic. I should stop watching TV and read more tabloids/ magazines academic books.


Happy Chinese New Year everybody! 

We accommodate =)

The above scene is from an American TV show, Modern Family. 

I find what Gloria (the woman in pink) said about Americans not making an effort to learn other people's language is the complete opposite of Bruneians. 

There is no such thing as bad English. I think.

I went to the UK last December for my sister's graduation. I was trying on some clothes in the fitting room and the clothes did not suit me. Before going out from the fitting room, my sister said, "If she (the person waiting at the entrance of fitting rooms who collects the items that we don't want or need) asks if they're any good, say 'no good'." 

I laughed because 'no good' seems incomplete and what I would call as 'Bad English'. Moreover, the staff looks like an English person whom I believe can speak proper English.

I replied 'no good' to the staff's question anyway because the person before me said the same thing.

It seems that bad English does not exist as long as the other party understands you. 

Uni kampung

I am new to this. i read other people's blogs but have never intended to set up one for myself. 

Last Thursday (12.01), we had our first EL 4306 class at ICTC. There were questions whether the class will be held at the new ICTC or the old ICTC. We (at least, three of us) decided to go to the new building.

When my coursemate, Zyda, and I were waiting at the new place, we had a conversation, more or less like the one below:

Me: Lawa oh sini  (It's pretty here).

Zyda: Awu, macam uni banar (Yes, it looks like a real university).

Me: Campus tani macam uni kampung (Our campus looks like a village's university).

Hehe. I am still grateful, though =)