Singaporean Mandarin Database

This database contains a collection of Mandarin terms which have cultural, historical or sentimental value unique to Singapore. These terms may be used by Singaporeans in the past or at present. Some of the terms are read in print while others are used in our everyday conversations.

lán

road (colloquially known as jalan)

Places

地理相关

Places

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road (colloquially known as jalan)

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Places

地理相关

Places

释义

名词

泛指小巷、街道、小路或道路。

DEFINITION

Noun

A general term for an alley, street, path, or road.

由来
  • 马来语 jalan 的音译。新加坡尚未独立之前,大部分的地名都较 “马来化”,而马来语至今仍为新加坡的国语。为了凸显马来语在新加坡的地位与历史意义,现今有些地名仍沿用马来文的音译名称,比如 jalan 一词就很少意译成 “巷”,一般都保留 “惹兰” 的音译。
  • 新加坡独立后至 1980 年代初,政府对街路及地方的华文译名进行了标准化、汉语拼音化等,旨在淡化殖民历史,同时建构新的国家意识。到了 1980 年代,新加坡政府希望通过创造集体回忆,强调共同的成长背景和共享的历史记忆,让人民对国家产生认同感与归属感。因此,政府选择保留了个别街路的译名,而 “惹兰” 便是其中一例。
ETYMOLOGY
  • The Mandarin term “惹兰” is the transliteration of the Malay word jalan.
  • Before Singapore’s independence, most place names were Malay-influenced, and Malay remains the national language of Singapore today. To emphasise the status and historical significance of the Malay language in Singapore, some place names today still retain their transliterated Malay names. For example, in Mandarin translations, the term jalan is rarely paraphrased as “” (lane), but generally retains the transliterated “惹兰”.
  • After Singapore's independence until the early 1980s, the Government standardised Mandarin translations of street and place names via Hanyu Pinyin romanisation. The aim was to understate the country’s colonial past while constructing a new sense of nationhood. By the 1980s, the Singapore Government wanted to foster a sense of identity and belonging among the people. This was to be done by creating collective memories that emphasised common childhood experiences and a shared history. Hence, the government chose to retain the translations of certain street names. One such example is “惹兰” (Jalan).

 

例句
居住在惹兰勿刹一带的年长居民将很快会收到邀请,预约时间段后,前往惹兰勿刹民众俱乐部接种冠病疫苗。(《联合早报》, 6/2/2021)
SAMPLE SENTENCE
Elderly residents living in the Jalan Besar area will soon be invited to make an appointment at the Jalan Besar Community Club for their Covid-19 vaccination. (Lianhe Zaobao, 6/2/2021)
参考资料
REFERENCES