NSU Research Contributions

Title : Colloquial versus Standard in Singaporean Language Policies

Authors : TaniaRahman

Abstract : This paper is based on an investigation of the standard - colloquial debate among the four official languages, English, Mandarin, Tamil and Malay in Singapore. The aim of the study is to examine (1) major steps/movements in the history of Singaporean language policies that have been influential in forwarding the debate in the country and (2) how this debate has been reflected in the country‘s educational policymaking. Expanding on Gupta‘s (1989, 1994, 2001) ?diglossia model?, the study examines the diglossic ?H? - ?L? relationships among the languages to understand the standard – colloquial issue in the country. The outcomes of this study reveal that (1) the standard - colloquial debate can be extended beyond the ?Singlish? - Singapore Standard English (SSE) question to the other three official languages, and (2) the Singapore government‘s drive for standard language usage marks significant shift in language use and attitudes of the speakers towards the vernacular languages in the country.

Journal : Language in India	Volume : 10:12	Year : 2010	Issue : December 2010
Pages : 1 – 27	City :	Edition :	Editors :
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