Embrace your national identity with Singlish emojis

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently highlighted 'identity' as one of challenges to beset Singapore over the next 50 years, lest we CMI.

What is CMI? CMI is the acronym for Cannot Make It, and such abbreviations form a core part of the Singlish syntax.

Singlish has been lauded as one of Singapore's distinct and unique identities, besting even the government's valiant attempts to purify our lexicon.

What better way to forge this common Singapore identity by expressing it with emojis?

Combine the universal language of emojis and Singlish and you get SGMOJI, a guide created by marketing communications agency BBDO Singapore.

The guide to express Singlish with emojis has even been submitted as an idea to the SG50 Celebration Fund, in hopes of producing actual guides for mass circulation nation-wide.

SGMOJI comes hot in the heels of Twitter's first-ever emojis for Singapore to commemorate the nation's Golden Jubilee.

With special permission from the Singapore government, the Singapore flag emoji will be seen when you use #Singapore, while the SG50 icon will appear when you use #SG50 when Tweeting on Twitter itself.

Facebook also unveiled SG50 stickers called 'Maju the Lion' on Friday, featuring 16 Singlish expressions such 'steady la (awesome)', 'shiok! (great!)' and 'bo jio (you didn't invite me)'.

Nothing can be as heartwarming when you are in a foreign land to hear the unmistakable Singlish, seeing the Singapore emojis on Twitter, or even the simple pleasures of talking cock with your buddies.

Embrace your Singapore identity la, ok? Last warning hor, ttyl, brb. #SG50

You may download the electronic guide here: https://www.sgmoji.com/

grongloh@sph.com.sg