where got

English

Etymology

Compare Hokkien 佗落有 (tó-lo̍h ū, “how is it […] ?”, literally “where is there”). 有 (“have; there is”) is rendered as got in Singlish.

Also compare Malay mana ada and Mandarin 哪裡有 / 哪里有 (nǎlǐ yǒu).

Pronunciation

  • (Singapore) IPA(key): /ˈwɛː ɡɒt/, [ˈwɛː˦ ɡɒt˨], (very rare, some older speakers) /ˈhw-/
    • IPA(key): (sentence-final alternative) /ˈwɛː ˈɡɒt/, [ˈwɛː˦ ˈɡɒt˦˧]

Phrase

where got (Singlish, Manglish, rhetorical, idiomatic)

  1. Used to challenge the validity of an assertion.
    — Let’s not do this one. Looks damn scary.
    — This ride where got scary one?     ― I don’t see how this ride is supposed to be scary.
    • 2018, Joel Tan, “Tango”, in A. Rogers, A. Thorpe, C. Robson, editors, British East Asian Plays, Aurora Metro Books, →ISBN, Act 1, scene 1:
      Poh Lin: 很会花钱 hor? [Got so much money to spend hor?]
      Benmin: 哪里有。你几点下班？ [Where got. What time do you knock off?]
  2. Used in questions expressing doubt about the existence or occurrence of something.
    Nowadays where got time? ― We don’t really have time nowadays.

References

  • Nala Huiying Lee, Ling Ai Ping, Hiroki Nomoto (2009) “Colloquial Singapore English got: functions and substratal influences”, in World Englishes, volume 28, number 3, →DOI, pages 293-318
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