RSS
|
|
|
Colloquial Singaporean English, also known as Singlish, is an English-based creole language spoken in Singapore, and at times in Malaysia and Brunei. Singlish is commonly regarded with low prestige in Singapore. The Singaporean government and many Singaporeans alike heavily discourage the use of Singlish in favour of Standard English. The government has created an annual Speak Good English Movement to emphasise the point. Singlish is also heavily discouraged in the mass media and in schools. Singlish is commonly used by Singaporeans who are not fluent in English to communicate. Singaporeans who speak English as their native language tend to command standard English. However, in recent days, many Singaporeans are claiming Singlish to be part of their national identity, which is something to be proud of. Such as other nationalities having their own accents, Singapore has Singlish. The vocabulary of Singlish consists of words originating from English, Malay, Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi and to a lesser extent various other European, Indic and Sinitic languages, while Singlish syntax resembles southern varieties of Chinese. Also, elements of American and Australian slang have come through from imported television series and films. In the last two decades, an increasing amount of Mandarin words have found their way into Singlish because Mandarin Chinese is taught to most Singaporean Chinese students in school. Japanese words are becoming more common as young Singaporeans become exposed to Japanese culture, particularly through Anime. |
