Forum: Can we draw money only with pen and paper?

I recently came across a TV commercial from the Speak Good English Movement that said it is wrong to say “draw money” from a bank, and that we should instead say “withdraw money”. It added that the only correct way to “draw” money is with pen and paper.

According to the Oxford English Reference Dictionary, one of the definitions of “draw” is to “obtain or take from a source”, including from a bank account. To say “draw money” is correct and synonymous with “withdraw money”.

The movement uses humour to promote the use of proper English and its effort is laudable. However, it should have consulted a good dictionary before spending the resources to make the commercial.

This case is an example of hypercorrection, drawing from an understandable but perhaps overzealous desire for Singaporeans to speak correctly.

Rather than pointing out piecemeal uses of bad English, the movement might want to consider encouraging Singaporeans to look it up for themselves when in doubt.

Koh Chuen Ferng