Lesson 04: Tea for Two?
Teh-O , Teh or Teh-Si? Just a cup of tea please!
Download Phone-in Lessons 2002 – Lesson 04 (ZIP, 2.7MB)
| Simon has trouble ordering food in his first visit to a hawker centre. | |
| Simon: | Wow! This is amazing, Jaya! Where do you start?? |
| Jaya: | Wherever you want! |
| Hawker: | Hey, you sit here! How many? I get table for you, Tiger beer? |
| Simon: | Are they always so pushy? |
| Jaya: | It’s normal. They’re just trying to get our business. Thank you, Uncle. |
| Simon: | Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was your uncle! |
| Auntie: | (Confused, then laughs) What? Ahhh, no ! He’s not my uncle! In Singapore we use this term as a sign of respect to someone older – Uncle and Auntie! |
| Simon: | That’s nice! |
| Jaya: | So, what would you like to drink? Beer, juice, tea, coffee…? |
| Simon: | I’d love a cup of tea. |
| Jaya: | Uncle, can we have one tea and a mineral water. |
| Hawker: | Teh-O , Teh or Teh-Si? |
| Simon: | Huh? Tea, please. |
| Hawker: | Teh-O , Teh or Teh-Si? |
| Narrator: | Simon seems to be a bit confused and overwhelmed at the hawker centre . |
| Replay… | |
| Hawker: | Teh-O , Teh or Teh-Si? |
| Simon: | Huh? Tea, please. |
| Narrator: |
These terms are commonly heard in Singapore for describing tea, but would not be understood by anyone from outside Singapore. Sometimes you hear people using terms like thick tea and light tea to describe tea. In good English we don’t put the describing words ‘thick’ and ‘light’ with the word tea or coffee. We say strong tea and weak tea. We say a thick jumper, a thick tree, thick hair or we say a light jumper, a light breeze. |
| Jaya: | How about some food? What would you like? |
| Simon: | I don’t know. Maybe some noodles. |
| Simon goes away and comes back… | |
| Jaya: | (Pause) So, what did you order? |
| Simon: | No idea! It all looked so delicious! No real problems except for the noodles. |
| Jaya: | Why was that? |
| Simon: | He asked me if I wanted wet or dry noodles! I mean, don’t all noodles have to be wet if they are to be cooked? |
| Jaya: | Well, true! But he meant, did you want your noodles in a soup or not? |
| Simon: | And then he asked me if I wanted packet? Ah, here they are! How much? |
| Hawker: | $3.50 ah. $3.50 ah. Eh, eh, eh, you got any small change or not? |
| Simon empties his pocket and begins counting his change… | |
| Simon: | (Counting aloud) 10, 20, 40… |
| Jaya: | No, not coins! He means do you have a smaller note, say a $5 note? |
| Narrator: |
So, Simon had an interesting experience at the hawker centre. In good English we just say “do you have a smaller note” not “small change”. And did you spot our quiz point for today’s lesson? Yes, how do we say ‘packet’ in good English? Don’t forget to check your answer in tomorrow’s newspaper and dial in for Lesson 5! |
Quiz Point
‘Packet’ means to take away’ or ‘to go’.
Written by Niamh O’ Leary, Laraine Bamrah, Harry Allen, Clare Williams, Shirley Lim and Alaisdair Raynham for The British Council, in association with the Speak Good English Movement.
© Ministry of Information and The Arts and British Council Singapore 2002.
Speak Good Engligh. Impress. Inspire. Intoxicate.
learn morein partnership with
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, and the world’s leading cultural relations organisation.
