Singlish

source: www.aussiepete.com/2008/05/singlish-language-...

The liberal use of Singlish (Singapore Colloquial English) is the definitive aspect of most local English sitcoms. It is the usage of words like lah, leh, meh and grammatically wrong sentences that afford Singaporeans a sense of familiarity and identification with the characters. However, this usage of Singlish has got the attention of leaders such as Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who fear that the popularity of Singlish may one day retard Singaporean’s ability to communicate with a global population effectively.

Their concerns have led to the legislation of “Speak Good English” campaigns in the hope that Singaporeans would be able to discern between standard English and this corrupted version. The success of this is reflected in the almost perfect grammar in Parental Guidance. It is a huge advancement considering that hitherto, English sitcoms derived their funny from jokes that only someone familiar with Singlish could understand.

The popularity of sitcoms like Under One Roof and Phua Chu Kang subtly highlights the extent to which Singlish is enshrined within the average Singaporean psyche. As novelist Hwee Hwee Tan notes:

“Singlish is crude precisely because it’s rooted in Singapore’s unglamorous past. This is a nation built from the sweat of uncultured immigrants who arrived 100 years ago to boost their assets in the boisterous port. Our language grew out of the hardships of these ancestors.” [1]

Singlish is nationalistic; and an outcry against adopting the language of our colonial masters. It is the exotic lingua franca nurtured from English by way of Chinese, Malay and various Indian sub-continental accretions. [2] It is the bridge between the westernized younger generation and the pre-Independence generation, whose command of English is borne out of informal interaction with a multiracial society, hence the rojak grammar that only we understand.

Singlish is part of our identity and we believe that there would be no problems as long as people are able to code-switch to standard English when the situation calls for it.

Many are still able to discern when a situation calls for the use of proper English. This is especially evident when one interacts with a foreigner. In this scenario, Singaporeans suddenly adopt a fake accent, in an attempt to make them sound more sophisticated.

Ultimately, we feel there is no need pass down draconian laws to restrict the usage of Singlish in sitcoms. After all, it is the Singlish (when used tastefully) that makes the sitcoms uniquely Singapore.

source:http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320336363681&indexURL=



[1] “At Home in Singaporean Sitcoms” from A journal of Media and Culture
[2] Cultural homicide, ayoh! Ziauddin Sardar arrives in Singapore to find it's been occupied by Ziauddin Sardar from Bnet
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