DMA1401L02 Reflection, A0272262J

 My parents are from Penang and speak Hokkien regularly. Through this, I picked up an intuition for the dialect but little beyond that. Given my extensive exposure to Hokkien, it did strike me as odd that I had no meaningful command of the dialect. Growing up, I was also confused by Singaporean Hokkien. It seemed that many of the few words and phrases I had picked up at home were pronounced differently locally. Sometimes, it was tricky to reconcile the differences. Thus, when my friend mentioned this introductory course in Hokkien, I saw this as an opportunity to pick up some Hokkien and connect to my roots and heritage.

Dialects have multiple widely recognised variations which makes it hard to learn independently. Without an authority on the dialect, it is tricky to sieve through valid variations of the dialect from potentially invalid ones. This module has helped greatly with that. 

I have a few phrases that I particularly enjoy- the first being “tak-ee ho”. Not only was this the first phrase taught to us, but I love the vibe of it. It is welcoming, friendly and open. Despite the random phrases of Hokkien I had picked up prior, this was actually the first greeting I learnt, making this phrase even more memorable.

My second favourite phrase is “kim-a-jit chin-jua̍h”. While this is not a phrase I had picked up through this module per se, it is a phrase I find myself using reflexively whenever it is hot, which is every other day. Being a Singaporean, complaining is second nature and this phrase is awfully convenient and apt every other day. It is relatable and expresses my mood when I am sticky from the heat.

I like the phrase "dng-chu" because it means what I always thought "pang-gang" meant. Of course, the latter is more commonly used on a conversational basis. Still, I believe it is important to have a knowledge of the proper terminology and the origins of a phrase. Although languages are constantly evolving and Singapore is a society which adapts Hokkien into slang, I want to remain cognizant of the roots of the dialect, and “dng-chu” reminds me of that intent.

Vocabulary forms the basis of understanding but the discussion of songs and their accompanying music videos provided the most intrinsic value. In a time when there was no official language, many people expressed themselves in Hokkien. Being able to break down and understand these songs enabled me to glimpse into society at that point in time- their concerns and outlook on life beyond the facts already laid out in history books. 

While the sheer vocabulary was sometimes overwhelming and repetition sometimes tedious, I recognise that such is the nature of learning a language. In totality, the course enabled me to form a foundational understanding of Hokkien. I was hoping to find connection to my Hokkien roots in Penang specifically, but in the process I discovered that Hokkien is the lifeblood of not just Penang society, but that of communities in Taiwan, Singapore and beyond.