| 1. | Ah Chong | ||
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Playful Singaporean & Malay slang for a South Chinese & usually Hokkien-speaking person. Sometimes extended to connote all Chinese. Commonly used throughout the Greater Malay Archipelago, incl. Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia. Based on this term being a common Chinese name, reinforced by the fame of the historical Ching Dynasty of China, & entrenched among Anglophone S.E. Asians by the phrases 'Ching Chong' & 'Ching Chong Chinaman'. To be distinguished from 'Ah Tiong', which refers to a Mandarin-speaking North Chinese person. Another slang word 'Ah Beng' is also used for a Chinaman, but this sometimes causes confusion with the Malay term 'Benggali' & 'Orang Benggali' denoting North Indians. This humourous term is also used in Australia: "There are plenty of Ah Chongs. I do not know which Ah Chong you mean. A countryman of yours at Narrandera named Ah Chong? Oh, there are two or three Ah Chongs over there." - 'Report of the Royal Commission on Alleged Chinese Gambling & Immorality and Charges of Bribery Against Members of the Police Force' New South Wales. Chinese Gambling Commission. Sydney: C. Potter, 1892, p 143, line 5726-7. 1) Ah Mat: Aiyoh (Ugh)! Look at that funny Ah Chong over there, lah!
2) "Yes, our society has created code words to describe each other & most of the time these descriptions are taken in good humour. These code words evolve with time. For example, during my younger days, all Malays were referred to as Ah Mat, Chinese as Ah Chong & Indians as Muthu. Nowadays, the nicknames have changed to Mat Rempit, Ah Beng & Macha. These monikers are slightly crude, but not derogatory – at least that’s what I think & see from the reaction within our modern society." - 'How frail our unity is: Why Not?' Wong Sai Wan. The Star (17 Feb 2012) thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2012/2/17/columnists/whynot/10746146 3) Ah Tiong: I'm sure I'll top in my class. No lazy Ah Chong can beat me! 4) Ah Neh: It's some strange Ah Chong fashion to dye your hair in a fluorescent colour lah. |
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