Scapegoating Singlish as a threat without research is misleading
I respond to the commentary “Singlish — a uniquely Singaporean threat” (June 1) from the perspective of a sociolinguist.
First, no one is valorising Singlish nor clamouring for it to replace Standard English in official domains. We need not worry that Singaporeans might be confused about the value of Singlish in their lives.
Research by Peter Tan and Daniel Tan, involving mainstream secondary schools, has shown how students have a clear sense of the prestige of the Standard form, with the knowledge that variants of English are suitable only for specific contexts.
Second, there is, as yet, no evidence in linguistics that Singlish hinders the learning of Standard English.
What some linguists are arguing for is the use of Singlish as a resource to teach the differences between the two varieties, as well as the situations in which each may be appropriately used. Even the Speak Good English Movement has moved away from denigrating Singlish, in recognition that both varieties can co-exist here.
Finally, concerns about students’ inability to code-switch, and a declining proficiency in Standard English, should be addressed by careful study of linguistic processes and pedagogy.
Linguists in Singapore do not only study exoticisms and “oddities”, but have advanced our understanding of sociolinguistic practices in the classroom and beyond.
Scapegoating Singlish as a threat without the basis of research is misleading, and does not help Singaporeans in acquiring Standard English. It perpetuates prejudice and prevents the implementation of potentially beneficial teaching methods.
