More Than Broken English

“Singlish is not English. It is English corrupted by Singaporeans and has become a Singapore dialect… Singlish is broken, ungrammatical English sprinkled with words and phrases from local dialects and Malay which English speakers outside Singapore would have difficulties in understanding… Let me emphasize my message that we must speak Standard English is targeted primarily at the younger generation… we should ensure that the next generation does not speak English.” Such was the stand on Singlish taken by the then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1999. I believe that this stand accurately captures the sentiments of many who believe that the usage of Singlish, even in daily conversation, should be avoided. Indeed, the many Singlish phrases that pepper everyday conversation such as, “"Piang eh, your shirt a bit the short, man!" and “I know you know who did it, so don’t act blur!” are commonly considered as having deviated from Standard English in both grammar, sentence construction and wording.  Yes, Singlish is, without a doubt, broken English. But is Singlish and all it represents really as insignificant as the term “Broken English” implies?

Before we go into that though, I’d like to discuss the significance of language to a nation in the 21^st century. In our nation, language is seen as a form of linguistic capital with a very high potential to produce profits such as higher incomes. It is one of the main means by which our nation is able to further our interconnectedness with the other nations of the world and by extension, the means by which we may achieve a plethora of other goals relating to research, finance and public relations and other such areas. Indeed, English is a powerful vehicle by which we may obtain further national advancement in the 21^st century. But is this really all that language connotes? On the contrary, a language is so much more than just a vehicle for economic advancement. Just by listening to a language, one can grasp the history, understand the beliefs, comprehend the culture and discern the values of its speakers. By listening to a language, one listens to the linguistic embodiment of the culture of the place and gets a feel of the communal identity shared by its speakers.

This holds true even for Singlish, which is commonly considered to be a language in its own right, albeit one that incorporates phrases and words from the many different “mother tongues”. For example, Singlish words such as “kena” and “Agak-Agak” derived from Malay while other such as, “Aiyah” derives from Chinese. Unlike the other commonly used “mother tongues” such as Malay, Mandarin or Tamil , which are associated with the Malays, Chinese or Indians, Singlish is not a language commonly associated with any racial group. Rather, it is a language that is defined by its association with Singapore and used by all Singaporeans, regardless of race or religion, in general. It is a language that draws its roots and evolution from our nation’s multi-faceted history and its lingo from the various races that constitute our nation’s racial make-up. Evidently, not only is Singlish a vital part of Singaporean identity and a part of every Singaporean, it is also serves as an essential tool for inter-ethnic communication as well as the linguistic manifestation of the intermixing and co-existence of cultural traditions, which is seen as essential to the survival and stability of a multi-racial state such as Singapore and which is the key aspect of Singaporean identity.

Linguistic symbolism aside though, Singlish is seen by many Singaporeans as an essential means of expressing oneself amongst fellow Singaporeans. For example, one of the most common Singlish terms peppering everyday conversation, “Leh” is used to soften a command, request, claim, or complaint that may be brusque otherwise. On the other hand, the Singlish term, “Hor” or “Horh”, is used to ask for the listener's attention and consent or support while the Singlish term, “Ar” or “Arh” is often used to indicate disapproval and carries a negative connotation. Other such Singlish expressions are often used to adequately express emotions, indicate empathy or even to place emphasis on certain key ideas in a conversation. Such expressions and by extension, the Singlish language cultivates rapport amongst Singaporeans, that is, it allows those participating in the conversation to be in sync, or on the same wavelength because they feel similar and are able to relate to each other, regardless of age, socioeconomic status or any other dividing factor.

Furthermore, the regular usage of clearly Singaporean phrases also allows for the development of an intangible emotional bond between fellow Singaporeans. In fact, one of the respondents interviewed as part of my investigation said specifically when discussing the importance of Singlish, “Just through these short phrases of Singlish, you can actually feel a kind of closeness.” Such sentiments were echoed by a large number of the participants in my online survey who indicated that they felt that, “By speaking Singlish, I can better identify with and relate to my fellow Singaporeans” in response to a question questioning them about their reasons for speaking Singlish. Clearly, Singlish as a language allows Singaporeans to better understand and relate with their counterparts and cultivates rapport between the fellow speakers of Singlish. Such features of Singlish and the emotions the language invokes further cement Singlish’s role as one of THE markers and element of “Singaporeaness” or in other words, Singaporean identity, that is, one’s sense of self as a member of Singapore.  

Impact of Globalization

However, the capitalist nature of many nations which has driven and is still driving the accelerated pace of globalization has detrimentally impacted several aspects of national identity and culture. Singlish is no exception to this.

Prior to discussing that though, I would like to further elaborate on the economic capital of language in the globalized world of the 21^st century. The competitive nature present in the globalized market of the 21^st century means that often, the most successful firms are those which are able to simultaneously cut operating costs and substantially increase profitability. In a world where one works with counterparts from foreign nations just as much as one does with locals, proficiency in Standard English, the lingua franca of the world is seen as being of absolute importance. Firms which possess individuals who are highly competent in English would be able to cut costs as they would not have to provide linguistic training or translators.

Following that logic, it is imperative for a nation to possess a language that would attract foreign investment and give society the leading edge in various spheres such as academic achievement and international trade and business. Indeed, this mentality is perhaps best exemplified in nowhere else but Singapore.  

Such a mentality has led many Singaporeans, especially those who are seen as being in the upper or middle strata of Singaporean society or those who have achieve higher education, to see Singlish, an essential part of their own identity, as having little value or even being detrimental in nature when it comes to surviving in the globalized world of the 21^st century. When surveyed on their use of Singlish and their reasons for their frequent/infrequent use of Singlish, approximately 50% of the respondents who mentioned that they used Singlish infrequently cited as an explanation, the following option, “I feel that speaking Standard English will eventually prove beneficial, especially if I make a habit out of it. As it is a language that is completely understood by many other countries, it will result in me becoming more economically and globally competitive in the future.” Such sentiments echo those in an earlier study conducted in 2004 which illustrated the fact that approximately a quarter of undergraduates agreed with the statement that, “Singlish is a handicap we must not wish on Singaporeans”, which was made by Singapore’s then Senior Minister Lee Kwan Yew. Clearly, there is a relatively large percentage of individuals associated with the upper or middle strata of society, who feel that Singlish is an unneccessay handicap to national and individual progress and believe that the need to establish a set of skills that would best equip them with the ability to survive in the 21^st century trumps the need to engage in linguistic behavior which holds emotional capital.

However, it has become glaringly apparent that just because Singlish is seen as being detrimental by perceptible numbers of those associated with the upper and middle strata of society does not mean that it is welcomed by the rest of Singaporean society at large. Despite being used by large percentages of the local population, it is still seen as a language with low prestige and associated with those who possess a low proficiency in English. One interviewee even mentioned, “But I think in the service industries, if you’re going to a restaurant, a fine dining restaurant, I think, I have never experienced this, I think that it is expected for you to ask in proper English, maybe the service people may not be too keen at having to have a conversation in Singlish.” Similar sentiments were echoed by other interviewees, as can be seen in the following quotes. Indeed, one stated that, “If you speak Singlish consistently, it’s kind of assumed that you’re from a lower social class. And if you speak proper English, then they associate you with being more educated. So I do think that the service staff will treat you accordingly.” Another mentioned that, “Generally, there is a perception that when a person speaks Singlish, he or she is being perceived as a poorly educated person in the society and will inevitable be treated differently or being discriminated.” The high capital value placed on “proper” or Standard English as a result of globalization means that often, those who use primarily Singlish in daily conversation are often negatively stereotyped and by extension discriminated against , as being in the lower social strata or being uneducated especially when compared to those who use Standard English who are in turn seen as being superior. It has become devastatingly evident from such research and examples that the perception of Singlish that has arisen as a result of globalization and incredibly competitive nature that has arisen in many Singaporeans, especially those amongst the upper or middle strata of society, has caused them to reject a key aspect of their own identity and culture as being near irrelevant to their existence.  

Clearly, something must be done.

Proposed Solution

However, despite Singlish’s importance as a marker of our national identity, it is an undeniable fact that proficiency in English is still necessary in the globalized world of the 21^st century. Evidently, a solution which addresses Singapore’s need to cultivate a national identity as well as the nation’s need to maintain a perceptible rate of progress is necessary.

My proposed solution comes in two parts:

Government agencies could consistently encourage the use of “proper” or Standard English in all cases where written work is required as well as when interacting in the workplace, whether foreign or local. However, they should stop actively portraying the use of Singlish in everyday or informal conversation as something that is detrimental and undesired, even in informal speech.

Furthermore, the belief that Singlish has absolutely no economic capital is erroneous in nature. In fact, it can become one of many cultural icons seen as being uniquely Singaporean. An example of how Singlish can be marketed as a national icon in and out of Singapore would be locally produced films such as the ones by local film maker Jack Neo which not only cleverly utilize liberal amounts of Singlish to induce humor but also manage to earn remarkable amounts of revenue. The marketing of the usage of Singlish phrases and words in informal conversation as a marker of national identity could indeed prove economically profitable both locally and internationally.

In conclusion, I would like to say that while it is of utmost importance to ensure that Singapore remains economically viable and competitive in the globalized and ever changing world of the 21^st century, it is equally important to ensure that we have a solid national identity. To quote one of my interviewees, “It(Singlish) bonds us together as a people. Nations cannot forge ahead if social cohesion is not strong”. If we are to progress, we must do so first and foremost as a bonded nation and Singlish plays a vital role in achieving this. It cannot and must not be eradicated just because it veers away from formal English.  

Thank you! :)