He told me that the method of teaching was very important. The teacher should teach the subject lively and not just reading out the lesson. If the subject was interesting, they were be looking forward for the lesson.

When Solomon was young and prior to his first speech sound, I used to read to him a 'Baby Dictionary' which described the activities starting in the morning until bed-time. When I told him the 'alarm clock', I would imitate cockcrowing. When I talked about 'gargle', I would make gargling sound. He laughed and enjoyed the evening lesson very much.

Solomon said that other than the lesson, the teacher should also tell them the language we used daily. It would make the lesson more interesting although it would not be in the examination paper, such as 'Kopi-O'.

Kopi-O is black coffee. I was surprised to hear that.

Kopi-O made me recalled the song I used to listen to once upon a time. It was later gone with the wind at around 1980.

Solomon used to ask me about what 'kopi-o' and 'teh-o' were when we went to coffee shop at his childhood. I thought those were the terms we used in the Chinese coffee shops. I discovered to hear that Malay and Indian were using the same terms recent years. Once I went to the Indian coffee stall. I did not order 'teh tarek' as usual. I told the Indian man I wanted to have tea with less sugar and 'not so thick'. He answered, "teh bok siew dai." I was surprised and told him 'ya ya ya'.

In 2008 I went to Henan, China. While talking to a few students, one of them asked me to speak to them in 'Singapore Language'. I explained to them that Malay was our national language and English the language of administration. The official languages were Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English. There was no Singapore Language.

There are many terms we use daily has become the common language in Singapore. Will that be Singapore Language in future?

There was once people commented about our Singlish. I was sad to read some of the inferior responses. We have to teach our children correct English and correct Chinese. But when we communicate to each other, there is no big deal to speak Singlish or Singaporean Mandarin.

Would it be better for us to say 'roti pratha' instead of 'Indian pancake'?

We wished to build up a harmony society and we made it after many years. We now have some of the common language between the different races. Why should we trouble by other people's comments?

Once Solomon and I was at a Sunday market. He listened to the bargaining between me and the young handsome seller. After that, he said, "Pap, both of you spoke native English!" There are people speaking native English. As we have our Singaporean slang, we speak with heavy tone. But when speak to another party who speak native English, you will change the tone and it becomes sweet and soft.

When we were in New Zealand in 1982, there was no problem for us to communicate with our New Zealand friends for about two weeks. But when I later went to Sydney, the Austrian shopkeeper could not understand my English. A few after coming home, a colleague told me, "Would you please speak with the Singapore slang, otherwise our hairs stood."

We have to think about whatever people comment. We need to change if necessary. But we do not need to accept every word blindly.

We must have confidence.

Let us take a cup of Kopi-O, cheers!