"Isn't it?" and "Is it?" in Singapore, Malaysian and Indian English

"Isn't it?" Vs "Is it?"

1. We have seen that film already, isn't it?
2. We returned the book yesterday, isn't it?
3. You want it at six o'clock, is it?
4. John: "My sister has just had triplets." Mary: "Is it?"
5. You will come, isn't it?
6. They should do it, isn't it?

All the above are examples of Singapore, Malaysian and Indian English. There is a strong tendency in these sub-standard varieties of English to simplify the tag-questions system drastically and to use instead the single tag "isn't it?" or "is it?".

"Is it?" occurs extremely frequently in at least two different sorts of situation: first, it is used when confirmation of a fact is being sought (as in Nos. 3 & 4) and second, it is also used as an exclamation in response to a statement which would elicit a different auxiliary and pronoun in Standard English---for instance, in No. 4 sort of situation.

These sub-standard usages--- "isn't it?" and "is it?" --- can be found in the speech of Singapore/ Malaysia/ Indian journalists, teachers of English and even senior government officials in the countries' Civil Service.

Sources: pg. 48, "The English of Singapore and Malaysia" by R.K.Tongue and "Indian English" by Pingali Sailaja.