Languages
Further information: Languages of Singapore, Singapore English, and SinglishMany Singaporeans though not all, are bilingual. Most speak English and another language, most commonly Mandarin Chinese, Malay, Tamil or Singapore Colloquial English (Singlish).
All the children study English as their first language in school, under the compulsory local education system, and their mother-tongue language as their second language. Thus, most Singaporeans are effectively bilingual, especially the youths in today's society.
English is the first language of Singapore. The standard form of English spoken in Singapore is Singapore Standard English, which uses British spelling and grammar. However, there is also a local dialect of English, Singlish, that is unique to Singapore, though it has close affinities with the Malaysian dialect known as Manglish.
Singapore is a multi-lingual nation and Singaporeans speak different languages as their first language. In 2005, 50% of Singaporeans speak Mandarin at home. 32% speak English at home and 12% speak Malay while 3% speak Tamil at home. Singaporeans who do not speak English as their home language normally speak it as their second language.
As part of the multi-cultural ethos of the nation, one language was also chosen to represent each of the four major ethnic or 'racial' groups. The 'national' language of Singapore is Bahasa Melayu. This is in recognition of the Malay people as the indigenous community in Singapore. 85% of Singaporeans do not speak Malay. Malay is used in the national anthem, national motto and military parade drill commands. Tamil is an official language as a majority of South Asians in Singapore are ethnic Tamils from India and Sri Lanka. While most Chinese Singaporeans are descendants of southern Chinese migrants who spoke a variety of regional languages, it is the northern Chinese language of Mandarin that is official in Singapore.
| Language most frequently spoken at home (%) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| English | 18.8 | 23.0 | 29.4 |
| Mandarin Chinese | 23.7 | 35.0 | 36.0 |
| Other Chinese Languages | 39.6 | 23.8 | 18.2 |
| Malay | 14.3 | 14.1 | 13.2 |
| Tamil | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
Read more about this topic: National Pride Survey In Singapore
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“The less sophisticated of my forbears avoided foreigners at all costs, for the very good reason that, in their circles, speaking in tongues was commonly a prelude to snake handling. The more tolerant among us regarded foreign languages as a kind of speech impediment that could be overcome by willpower.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)
“The trouble with foreign languages is, you have to think before your speak.”
—Swedish proverb, trans. by Verne Moberg.
“The very natural tendency to use terms derived from traditional grammar like verb, noun, adjective, passive voice, in describing languages outside of Indo-European is fraught with grave possibilities of misunderstanding.”
—Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897–1934)