From 'No lah' to 'Abuden': All the Singlish words Taylor Swift's dancer Kameron Saunders used impeccably at The Eras Tour in Singapore
Saunders has been pronouncing the Singlish terms with such an impeccable accent that netizens are clamouring for him to be an honorary citizen here.
Since global popstar Taylor Swift kicked off the Singapore leg of her Eras Tour, it’s not just her surprise songs that have fans holding their breath. Her dancer, Kameron Saunders, has become a significant part of the show as fans wonder which Singlish quip he’ll mention during the bridge of We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.
And on the last performance of the concert on Saturday night (9 March), Saunders closed off with “Hanor, abuden”, sending the crowd into a frenzy. It’s unclear who has been teaching him these expressions, but Saunders has been pronouncing them with such an impeccable accent, netizens are clamouring for him to be an honorary citizen here.
In case you missed it, here’s a roundup of all the Singlish words he has said - and for the overseas fans following livestreams or clips, we even explained it for you.
Night 1: “No lah”
The phrase basically means no, and that you’re clearly wrong. The addition of “lah” simply changes the tone of what you’re saying as it has no definition on its own.
Night 2: “Siao ah”
“Siao” means crazy in Hokkien (a Chinese dialect) and the phrase “siao ah” means “Are you crazy?” It’s usually used in response to something that is so absurd and ridiculous.
Night 3: “Wah lau eh”
A translation of the phrase, which is in Hokkien, means “Oh my father”. We know it sounds weird but the use of Singlish isn’t so much based in the definition as much as what it means. “Wah lau eh” is used to express surprise or disappointment, and can be compared to “Oh my god”.
Night 4: “Alamak”
The malay expression “alamak” is used to convey concern, dismay, or surprise. There are a couple of definitions for this word, which can mean “oh my god” or “mother of god”, and well, it’s used similarly to those.
Night 5: “Wah piang eh”
It means “what the heck” and is pretty much interchangeable with “wah lau eh”, except it’s more often used when the person is frustrated.
Night 6: “Hanor, abuden”
This is probably the trickiest to explain because there isn’t a direct translation for “hanor”.
It can be used to express some kind of frustration with something, or when someone is exasperated. It can also be used when in agreement with what was said, or to imply “yes”. It's all about the tone and context it which it's used.
“Abuden” on the other hand, is closest in meaning to “obviously” or “duh”.
Saunders clearly saved his most impressive Singlish for the last night. Give that man a Merlion already.
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