MIA in 2013

Daige ho - Various things have kept me from updating this blog, but I suppose I felt a little nostalgic for Teochew things, so here is another assemblage of videos:

First two travel videos from Thailand. The first "Spirit of Asia" a 25 minute show (pretty high production value I might add!), brings us to Sua:tao where they visit a family with Teochew-Thai folks with relatives in Sua:tao. In Thai (ซัวเถา), the tao in Sua:tao seems to be pronounced with a rising tone. There are English subtitles starting around the 5 minute mark. The second is the narrator's introduction/reflection about the history of Teochews emigrating from Sua:tao to Thailand. His Thai is quite clear! (I'm learning Thai!)





---

From Singapore is  the YouTube use "TeochewGaginang" who for a while now has been producing some decent videos about basic Teochew. She speaks in English and teaches the fundamentals from greetings to countings, and colors and what not. This particular video is about being sick.


And lastly a video from China. It's actually taken from a radio program about Teochew phrases. Pretty cool stuff, if not hard to understand because they speak in fast Teochew radio voices. Hope everyone enjoys all these new videos.

Teochew Speech at Singapore Worker's Party Rally (April 28, 2011)

Found this speech by Low Thia Khiang at a Singapore Worker's Party Rally. I don't know much about Singaporean politics, but it speaks volumes that people are still holding speeches in Teochew - that means that there are still people (at least in Hougang - an area of Singapore with lots of Teochew) who can understand it, and that probably want to hear it. One might think that the Singaporean gov't might ban speeches in dialect - and force them speakers to use one of the four official languages (English, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil... particularly English and Mandarin nowadays)... but no... interesting. On the speech itself, I rather like his Gek-io: accent... very agreeable to my ears. =)

Teochew Food & Culture: A Visit From Singapore to China!

Food Nation: Teochew from Mak CK on Vimeo.
Food Nation is a TV show (web or broadcast?) that covers, yes, food. This 45 min episode is all about Teochew food. They compare all the Teochew foods that Singaporeans are used to eating with the versions in the Teochew homeland. On the way, they also get to experience other aspects of Teochew culture. It's a great primer on Teochew culture actually, particularly for anyone who doesn't know what to say Teochew culture is about... my only qualm about this otherwise awesome find is that everyone speaks Mandarin except for two or three people (The kid in the beginning, the oyster fisherman, an the Singapore blogger who says "Sua:" and "Hài") [that was pretty cool by the way - his explanation about the muē, heh heh) Here's what you'll get a taste of.

Oyster Omelette Ọluat
Yam Paste Ọunī
Braised Goose Lọghō
Teochew Woodcarving
Kungfu Tea Gang-hudē
Bamboo Dumplings Sungguè
"Mouse Shell Gue" Chéukākguè?
Kaiyuan Temple and Xihu
Teochew Opera Diọgiāt
B-boy dancing
Rice Porridge Muē

Multilingual and Multigender in Singapore

 

 

 

There is something hilarious, familiar, and ingenious about the way Singaporeans speak, no? It's like the best of all the Singaporean languages, wrapped up in the perfect package. It's awesome, it combines the Mandarin that I learned in school, with the Teochew that I grew up with, the Hokkien and Cantonese that I listened to/watched in songs and movies, and the English that I use everyday. That just leaves the Malay, Tamil (and other Indian languages), and of course the Hainanese. It's like a multilingual treat every time I watch a Singaporean film. So here is another one:

From Singaporean Director Han Yew Kwang is an interesting gender-bender film, 《当海南遇上潮州》 "When Hainan Meets Teochew ". Released in December of last year (a whole three months ago), the stars are a 'manly woman' and a 'womanly man' who fall in love. Yes, the movie is a comedy, and no, its not boring. I admit that I haven't seen it yet, but c'mon, check out the teasers/trailers. Has to be funny. My favorite trailer is no. 2. (the middle one). Oh and apparently there's a good deal of Teochew (and Hainanese) spoken in the movie.

孙燕姿 Stefanie Sun Speaks Teochew!! (just a bit)

"Geme: jiat bẹung" oops, I mean "Gingme: jiat bẹung"

Stefanie Sun, or in Teochew 孙燕姿 Sung Ĭ: Jeu, is a somewhat popular Chinese pop star based mainly out of Taiwan, but originally from Singapore. The first song I heard from her was 我要的幸福 (My Desired Happiness) back in 2000. It was alright. The main reason I listened to her songs was... yes, because she is Teochew. For the longest time I was annoyed that she only sings in Mandarin, and one, yes, one freakin' song in Hokkien (just one line of the chorus in 天烏烏 Ti: Ou Ou). So finally I find this video where she says a little bit. The funniest part of the video is when the host says that phrase that people use to make fun of Teochew people (I believe he is actually speaking in Taiwanese/Hokkien):

Teochew lang ming ang ang (Teochew people, faces so red)
bangpui dua: chui gagi ang (Done a big fart, ???)

What does the last part mean? Can any commenters enlighten me? The other one I've heard is shorter:

Teochew nāng kacheung ạng āng

Does anyone now if this nasty little phrase is longer, or if there are different versions?