Singapore English

Cavallaro, Francesco; Ng, Bee Chin; Tan, Yingying

doi:10.1002/9781118791882.ch18

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…In Singapore, many of the young generation have considered English as their first language. Consequently, many were trapped between two worlds as they searched for their ethnic identity when speaking English while losing their heritage languages (Cavallaro et al, 2020).…”

Section: Intergenerational Transmission … Teresa Ong and Su-hie Tingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intergenerational Transmission of Chinese Foochow: Exploring a Connection between Family Language Policy and Language-Ethnicity Dimensions

Ong

Ting²

2022

LRR

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This study examines intergenerational transmission of Chinese Foochow in Sarawak, Malaysia by exploring a connection between family language policy and language-ethnicity dimensions. The specific aspects examined were: (a) family language practices; (b) family language ideology in defining characteristics of being a Foochow; and (c) family language attitudes towards heritage language management. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with nine Foochow ethnic families (29 participants) from urban Sarawak, Malaysia. The findings showed the Foochow dialect was mainly spoken at the highest level of the family hierarchy with the lowest level shifting to use standard languages (Mandarin and/or English). The nine families held strong beliefs regarding their ethnic identity being passed down by birth, blood, and descent and thus, not being able to speak Foochow did not subtract from their Foochow ethnicity. Some participants defined themselves as Foochow because they practised Foochow customs and ate Foochow food, indicative of the phenomenological dimension of the language-ethnicity link. As the dialect is predicted to lose its role and status in urban settings, various strategies for managing Foochow which attributed agency to others were provided by the participants. The findings suggested that attributing ethnic identity to paternity and not patrimony will lead to potential loss of Foochow from the linguistic repertoire of the youngest generation in urban localities in Malaysia.

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Section: Intergenerational Transmission … Teresa Ong and Su-hie Tingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intergenerational Transmission of Chinese Foochow: Exploring a Connection between Family Language Policy and Language-Ethnicity Dimensions

Ong

Ting²

2022

LRR

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“…English is the language of business, administration and law, and the main medium of education. Mandarin, Malay and Tamil are the designated Mother Tongue Languages (Ministry of Education 2011) arbitrarily assigned by the government to the Chinese, Malays and the Indians respectively, regardless of the actual language spoken at home (see Cavallaro and Ng 2014;Cavallaro et al 2020). In the 1950s and '60s, Hokkien was the language most understood and spoken by Singaporeans.…”

Section: Singaporementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The launch of the Speak Mandarin Campaign (SMC) in 1979 signalled the start of the rapid shift from Hokkien and other Chinese varieties to Mandarin and English (Bolton and Ng 2014). Over the years, the SMC and the bilingual education policy that has promoted bilingualism in English and a Mother Tongue have resulted in English and Mandarin displacing the Chinese language varieties within the ethnic Chinese community (Cavallaro and Ng 2014;Cavallaro et al 2020). Table 1 shows that Malay and Tamil have also decreased in use and Mandarin has not increased from 45-47% in the last 15 years.…”

Section: Singaporementioning

confidence: 99%

Multilingualism among the elderly Chinese in Singapore: an oral account

Nah

Cavallaro

Panović

et al. 2021

International Journal of the Sociology of Language

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This study aims to qualitatively document the histories of Singapore’s Chinese multilingual elderly. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Chinese Singaporeans aged 75 years and above on how and why they acquired the languages they speak and their attitudes towards these linguistic varieties, of which many are declining in usage. Five participants were multilingual and spoke three or more languages fluently; two spoke only two languages and were included for a balanced and holistic perspective. Common themes from the interviews were identified and discussed. One key finding was that communicative necessity and practicality naturally fuelled language learning. Outside of the home, multilingual individuals acquired varieties from conversing with friends, relatives and customers, or as an educational requirement. Language was tied to ethnic belonging, but, generally, pride to speak a linguistic variety was linked to its functional value, not its associated ethnic identity. Unhappiness was expressed at the waning of the Chinese vernaculars and Baba Malay in Singapore today. Such language loss was seen as a sombre, but unavoidable consequence of Singapore’s globalisation and modernisation.

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“…Most Singaporeans 50 and below are bilingual in English and at least one official languages. Across ethnic groups, the common language is English, which is also sometimes the lingua franca within ethnic groups (Cavallaro, Ng, and Tan 2020). All these communities are experiencing an ongoing language shift toward English, the language used nationwide in business, administration, law, and education.…”

Section: A Linguistic Snapshot Of Singaporementioning

confidence: 99%

Multilingualism across the Lifespan

Røyneland¹,

Blackwood²

2021

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This innovative collection examines key questions on language diversity and multilingualism running through contemporary debates in psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics.Reinforcing interdisciplinary conversations on these themes, each chapter is co-authored by two different researchers, often those who have not written together before. The combined effect is a volume showcasing unique and dynamic perspectives on such topics as multilingualism across the lifespan, bilingual acquisition, family language policy, language and ageing, language shift, language and identity, and multilingualism and language impairment. The book builds on Elizabeth Lanza's pioneering work on multilingualism across the lifespan, bringing together cutting-edge research exploring multilingualism as an evolving phenomenon at landmarks in individuals', families', and communities' lives. Taken together, the book offers a rich portrait of the different facets of multilingualism as a lived reality for individuals, families, and communities.This ground-breaking volume will be of particular interest to students and scholars in multilingualism, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics.

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Singapore English

Cited by 15 publications

References 62 publications

Intergenerational Transmission of Chinese Foochow: Exploring a Connection between Family Language Policy and Language-Ethnicity Dimensions

Intergenerational Transmission of Chinese Foochow: Exploring a Connection between Family Language Policy and Language-Ethnicity Dimensions

Multilingualism among the elderly Chinese in Singapore: an oral account

Multilingualism across the Lifespan

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