IELTS

As I am applying to enrol for PhD overseas, last Friday I sat for an IELTS exam. Because I am not a native speaker. 

This has been playing in my mind in the past couple of days, building up to the test date.

I have been using English for work and communications for the longest time. I do have some level of confidence that I will breeze through the exam, reasonably so. 

So, why this premium on being a native speaker?

Ever since I became more alert, I had noticed that as Malaysians we use a lot of 'manglish' to communicate- skipping conjunctions, adding fillers, using incorrect vocabulary, mashing up English & Malay (and other dialects) at liberty- among others. This is not English in the actual sense of its usage. When I started using 'proper English', I had noticed that the way I write and speak is actually very localised. Hence I do understand how we are less adept compared to native speakers, in the context of the mastery of the language.

How did the test go? Pretty well, in the circumstances. The speaking test was the most nerve-wracking and the topic about air travel is not the most interesting (but reasonable, I guess). I wished he had gone on to ask me about accommodation types or structures or sustainable buildings; or even about music for education, for healing, about lyrics and the lives of the artistes. We had started the session discussing about type of neighbourhood I live in and the type of music I listen to.

Anywhooo, tomorrow I will get the results, and I will then know my standing vis a vis native speakers [who has been assigned the benchmark score of 9/9].