This afternoon I was involved in a discussion between the hardware and software team on factory readiness to manufacture our product.
There are plenty of misunderstandings, circular dependencies, false assumptions, and downright wishful thinkings in the whole project, from head to toe. You won't believe all the participants are adults.
A 'classic' conversation:
The Real Thing:
Hardware Guy (HG): You software people really cannot ah, firmware delay here and there, give us quick quick lah, set up equipment take time you know?
Software Guy (SG): Aiyo, you assign us a model ID first lah so that we can put in firmware, or else cannot one.
HG: Aiya, can't we just program that number in meh?
SG: Cannot lah. Before program in that number the firmware will read the model number to see write where
In English:
HG: You guys are not doing a good job. The firmware has been delayed for so long. We need it asap because setup also takes time.
SG: We can't deliver it yet because we are still waiting for the model ID
HG: Well, I thought we can just program in the model ID through software?
SG: Nope, the software will check for the model ID first to decide where to write, hence without the model ID the software can't do anything
Note:
Words like 'ah', 'lah', 'meh', 'kah', 'hoh', 'mah', 'aiya', 'walau eh' are interjections, ergo meaningless.
Words like 'kah' and 'meh' express doubtfulness.
Example Usages:
You go to movie yesterday kah? (You went to watch movie yesterday?)
This result correct meh? (Is this result correct?)
Checking the dictionary for these words will be a futile exercise. I am not encouraging the use of all these, but if one is aware of this quirky use of English, life in Asia (esp. Malaysia and Singapore) will be much easier.
3 comments:
A lot of languages have meaningless suffix including Malay, Mandarin, and especially Cantonese.
Since we are in Malaysia where Malay, Mandarin, and Cantonese are widely used, it is easy to see how all those suffixes are so commonly used out of habit.
In fact, a sentence without those suffixes would sound unnatural, pedantic, and extremely polished to the common man off the streets. It will immediately mark you out of the crowd.
I much prefer how colourful Malaysian vulgarities are...
I say! You stuffy old boy. Are you from Oxford, speaking the Queen's English? ;)
Good thing working in a lab? When the hardware's not working properly, we solder on jumper cables, resistors, chips etc. :)
Hmm, vulgarities is a big challenge to put here, it will be a lot to cover in just ONE language, let alone we have a good array of dialects and therefore, very colorful vocabulary at our disposal. ;)
Now it is no longer in lab environment, we are talking about volume production of thousands of pieces with a very tight deadline. You won't be able to fly-wire fast enough if hardware screws up. Therefore I start to feel my butt is getting hotter and hotter these days. sigh...
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