2I1YauXuan

Members: Lim Jun Weng 2I106 Daniel Lye 2I110 Ng Yau Xuan 2I113 (leader) Keith Ong 2I114 Jeremy Yap 2I124

1. Narrator 2. A 60-year old retiree sitting with a group of friends in a coffee-shop who often communicates using Singlish, Mr. Kua Si Ming 3. An Australian who has been living in Singapore for 2 months and is getting the hang of Singlish; Mr. George Martin 4. The Chairman of the “Speak Good English Campaign”, Mr Goh Eck Kheng. 5. The man behind [|//www.talkingcock.com//], Mr Colin Goh 6. The Head of the Centre for English Language Communication (CELC), a non-faculty teaching department in the National University of Singapore (NUS), Dr. Tan Yuan Suan.
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 * __SCENE 1__**

The documentary starts off with the background sounds of a neighbourhood coffee-shop. The focus is then directed to the conversation of the retiree, Mr Kua Si Ming, with his friends. The conversation occurs in Singlish.

When asked why Singlish is used, Mr Kua Si Ming replies in Singlish that he feels much more comfortable using Singlish to converse. He also states that it is much easier to communicate with others using Singlish, which he and his friends can understand better.

--- (background sounds of a neighbourhood coffee-shop)

Narrator: Good morning, I am your host for today, Li Guan Ewe. There have been many debates about whether Singlish should, as a poor variation of English, be abolished in Singapore. So, today, we will interview the key people involved in the debate of whether Singlish should be abolished. To learn more about this and the Singaporean’s view of Singlish, we will be interviewing a Singaporean citizen in his everyday life. Firstly, we have Mr Kua Si Ming, a Singaporean resident.

Mr. Kua: Ya? What?

Narrator: What do you think about the rising number of Singlish speakers in Singapore?

Mr.Kua: Huh? Singlish ah? More and more people use Singlish, so? Aiyah, use Singlish talk also easier what, people understand better, and also more convenient. As long as people understand you, can already lah! Why bother to use proper English? So hard to understand, so //ma fan//.

Narrator: Why do you speak Singlish?

Mr Kua: You know a lot of old people like us all like Chinese educated one what, ne’er even learn English, so i talk to my English speaking friends, of course need learn English what. I learn by myself, you think i very clever, can speak very good English? People understand me can liao lah.

Narrator: Do you use Singlish when you speak with your friends?

Mr. Kua: Of course lah! If not use what? You want me talk like //ang mor// ah? Use Singlish, people understand me better, they use Singlish, I also understand them better what, and also faster. Anyway, everyone using Singlish, also used to it already lah.

Narrator: Would you use Singlish if you would go overseas?

Mr. Kua: Go overseas? I so old already, how to go overseas? But even if I go overseas, speak singlish also can what.

Narrator: Why?

Mr. Kua: Those //ang mor// come here, also dun bother learning singlish, why we go their country, must learn their what, proper English? I proud of being Singaporean, of course must use singlish lah, must be proud of being Singapore!

Narrator: Don’t you think this will make it hard for the foreigners to understand us?

Mr. Kua: They don’t understand us, we also don’t understand them. Why make us learn their English, don’t make them learn our form of English? Hey, its they want come our country, they learn our language lah, why must we be the ones to give in?

Narrator: I see. Thank you for your time.

Mr. Kua: Hehe, no problem lah, anytime also can. ---


 * __SCENE 2__**

The narrator would then explain how Singlish has evolved over the years, and that its words actually originate from the different dialects and languages. The narrator also explains how Singlish came about in Singapore, for example, Singlish was the bridge that allowed all four races in Singapore to communicate with each other easily. The Narrator then explains how Singlish is part and parcel of our daily lives, like for example in the coffee shop scene. The Narrator then goes on to explain the cultural significance of Singlish and how it impacts individuals.

--- Narrator: Singlish is a variation of English formed in Singapore. It is a mixture of the languages of the different races of merchants who came to Singapore when it was still a British colony. It includes words mainly from the Malay language and the Chinese language and its many dialects. For example, the term ‘lah’ used at the end of many sentences in Singlish, originated from the Malay language, where ‘lah’ is used at the end of certain words for emphasis.

Over the years, Singlish has evolved to become a part of the daily life of Singaporeans. Many Singaporeans use singlish daily in their casual conversations, and it has become a part of the Singapore culture, and its plays a big role in communication between every Singaporean. Singlish has been thought of as the only thing that is uniquely Singaporean. ---


 * __SCENE 3__**

Here, we have the viewpoints of the different people who are against Singlish; secondly from the point of view of the Education Department. We move into a classroom background, with students chattering and fan sounds.

The Head of the Centre for English Language Communication shows his concern over the standards of English dropping in Singapore. The man who spearheaded the “Speak Good English Campaign” explains that the government is trying to get Singaporeans to recognize the importance of Standard English and the role it plays.

--- Narrator: Now that we have seen what the average Singaporean thinks about Singlish, let us take a look at the Ministry of Education’s viewpoint of Singlish. We have invited the Head of the Centre for English Language Communication at the non-faculty teaching department in the National University of Singapore, Dr. Tan Yuan Suan. Good Morning Dr. Tan.

Dr Tan: Good morning.

Narrator: What do you think about the standards of English in today’s Singaporean society?

Mr Tan: I would say the standard of English in Singapore is dropping rapidly, and if this carries on, soon, we maybe be looked down upon for our poor command of English. I feel a need for us to raise the standard of English in Singapore once again, so as to maintain our place in the global arena.

Narrator: Well, do you know what is causing the drop of English in today’s modern society?

Mr Tan: Well, with young people using MSN, smses and social networking sites as a main form of communication, a lot of slang is used in our conversations. A popular example is the acronym, ‘lol’. This has become a habit, and slang like this is dropping the English standard here in Singapore. People are also getting used to using Singlish in their everyday lives – in fact, some even use Singlish in their oral examinations. With less students being able to distinguish between Singlish and Standard English, I am afraid that there will be a further drop in the English standard.

Narrator: How did our standard of English drop, and is there any way to prevent out standard of English from further dropping?

Mr Tan: The English-educated in Singapore received their English pedagogical instruction through missionary schools and convents such as the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), Methodist Girls' School  (MGS), Marymount Convent School, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus  (CHIJ), Canossa's Convent. They were taught by native speakers of the English language, and hence the standards of English in those days were much higher than now.

As decolonization occurred, we had less and less expatriate English Teachers, and their teaching posts were filled up by non-native teachers. In the late 1990s, due to budget constraints, the standard of English language instruction fell, leading to confusion of grammar and vocabulary.

The Speak Good English Campaign, launched in 2000, is one of the government’s initiatives to keep our standard of English from dropping further and also to discourage the use of Singlish. It is important to not only prevent our standard of English from dropping, but to also take a step in the direction of further improvement.

Narrator: Thank you for sharing with us your stand on this matter. We will now also the hear from the man heading the Speak Good English Campaign, Mr. Goh Eck Kheng. Good morning, Mr. Goh.

Mr Goh: Good morning. It is a pleasure for me to be here today.

Narrator: So, what is this ‘Speak Good English Campaign about?

Mr Goh: We are trying to encourage Singaporeans to speak Standard English, generally modelled after the British Standard, instead of speaking Singlish, a deviant form of English that foreigners cannot understand. We also recognise that as a result of Singlish, there has been a breakdown of communications between Singaporeans and foreigners, thus placing as at a disadvantage when dealing in business and trade. This further reinforces our need to eradicate Singlish and improve our foundations in English.

Narrator: What other impact does speaking good english have on us?

Mr Goh: Well, Singapore is aiming to become a global city, and we want other countries to have a good impression of us when they visit us; after all, Singapore’s travel industry plays a very big role in our economy. We need to give foreigners a good impression, and as such we have to show them that we can easily communicate with the rest of the world using the medium of English; whereas on the other hand, Singlish makes it hard for people from other countries to understand us and communicate with us. Singlish gives off the impression of broken English to most people who don’t understand it.

Our counter-measure to this is to further encourage Singaporeans to speak better English. We also plan to control the use of Singlish in Singapore.

Narrator: I have heard that some people oppose this campaign, and claims that Singlish is an important part of the Singaporean culture, and since it is the only thing uniquely Singaporean, we should, instead of promoting good English, preserve the usage of Singlish in Singapore.

Mr Goh: The ‘Speak Good English Campaign’ does not see Singlish in such a light. Current prime minister [|Lee Hsien Loong] has also said that Singlish should not be part of Singapore's identity. It is best if Singaporeans know how to use standard English when communicating with foreigners, so as to give them a good impression of us, and that is what the ‘Speak Good English Campaign’ aims to do: to make sure we know the appropriate to use standard English when communicating with foreigners best of all, when communicating among Singaporeans too.

Narrator: Well, many other countries have their own variations of English, so why, in their case, do we have to learn about their variation when they do not learn about ours?

Mr Goh: Well, those countries have a great influence over the world, and if we do not learn their variation, we will lose out in many areas to other countries who do bother to learn. As for Singapore, we are still growing and do not have a great influence over a lot of countries, and so, there is no immediate need for other people to learn our variation of English. It’s all a matter of whether learning the other variation will affect our country’s growth, and in this case, if we do not learn standard English, we will find it hard to communicate with and do business with people from other countries.

Narrator: Oh, I see. Very well, thank you for your time.

Mr Goh: You’re welcome. ---


 * __SCENE 4__**

Here, we have the viewpoints of the the foreigners.

Mr George Martin is an expatriate from Australia who has been living in Singapore for 2 months and is starting to get a hang of Singlish. He expresses a concern over how misunderstandings might arise through a language barrier, but also expresses an interest in picking Singlish up at the same time.

--- Narrator: Well, that was the viewpoint of the person behind the Speak Good English Campaign. Now, one reason why the Speak Good English Campaign was started was to make it easier for foreigners to communicate with us. So, what does a foreigner think about Singlish? To answer that question, we have specially invited Mr George Martin, an expatriate from Australia who has been living in Singapore for two months. Good morning, Mr Martin.

Mr Martin: Good morning, it is a pleasure for me to be here today. And please, call me George.

Narrator: Very well, George, what do you think about the usage of Singlish in Singapore?

Mr Martin: It is confusing to understand at first, but I think Singlish reflects the blend of cultures here in Singapore, where different languages find their way into Singlish. In a way, it gives a friendlier feel of communication, and I have observed it’s especially prominent amongst locals.

Narrator: Have you tried learning how to speak Singlish?

Mr Martin: I am starting to get the hang of Singlish after staying here for two months. Truth be told, I find Singlish a subject of curiosity, with slightly altered syntax similar to that of Chinese and the involvement of discourse particles, like “lah” and “mah”. I think Singlish is in fact, an English-based Creole for Singapore, similar to the Kriol we have in Australia. There is perfectly nothing wrong with the use of Singlish. I have of course, begun to pick up Singlish to try and understand more of what the locals are saying.

Narrator: Well, with some existing problems in the communication between Singaporeans and the foreigners, have you ever had any misunderstandings?

Mr Martin: Well, with us foreigners having so many problems understanding the locals, there will definitely be some misunderstandings. I remember there was this once a Singaporean thought I was mocking him. It was so embarrassing! If Singaporeans do not learn to speak Standard English in front of tourists, there will definitely be a lot of misunderstandings, I’m sure of it.

Narrator: Do you think we should abolish Singlish or preserve it as a part of our Singaporean culture?

Mr Martin: I would say that you should preserve it, considering how it is such an important part of your culture, but you also improve your foundations in Standard English so that you know how to communicate with tourists and foreign citizens. Also, knowing on what occasion to use Singlish is also important.

Narrator: Very well, thank you for your time.

Mr Martin: My pleasure. ---


 * __SCENE 5__**

Viewpoints from those in support of Singlish, such as the man behind //www.talkingcock.com//, Mr Colin Goh, come in here. They have their own reasons, for example, that Singlish is probably the only thing ORIGINALLY SINGAPOREAN, or, that if other countries around the world can have their own type of speech, why can’t Singapore have its own? They may also feel that there is no need to put such great emphasis on speaking standard English, and that the government is doing too much. Mr Colin Goh is known for being radical, perhaps uncensored due to the massive amount of media attention he has already received from Magazines like Times and The Economist.

--- Narrator: Now, we move on to interview, Mr Colin Goh, the man who set up talkingcock.com. It is also home of the //Coxford Singlish Dictionary//, which is the de-facto Singlish dictionary frequently quoted off by the local press. It has also led a campaign against the government's attempts of discouraging the use of Singlish. Good Morning Mr Goh.

Mr Colin Goh: Ah, Good morning.

Narrator: What is your view on the ongoing English-Singlish Debate in Singapore?

Mr Colin Goh: Singlish is the first language of many Singaporeans, and the second language of nearly all the rest of the country's citizens. Educated Singaporeans are able to code-switch between Singlish and standard English based on context and occasion. Just to clarify, I am not actually anti-English but pro-Singlish. I believe that Singlish is an essential part of our culture and something we should not simply try to eradicate. Singlish is a Creole to us Singaporeans, and I think the government should recognise that and also embrace Singlish; rather, they should direct their efforts into making education accommodate code-switching.

Narrator: What led you to create the Coxford Singlish Dictionary?

Mr Colin Goh: There is no officially printed version of Singlish due the government effort to quash the use of Singlish and to promote the use of standard English through the Speak Good English Movement over the past few years.

I felt that Singlish deserved recognition, and in order to familiarize more locals with the terms and the grammar of Singlish, I created the Coxford Singlish Dictionary. I developed the Dictionary with contributions to our online website, TalkingCock.com.

There is more to Singlish than meets the eye. Singlish actually has developed a grammar of it’s own, and is not simply a jumbled up form with no syntax, contrary to government-belief. Singlish grammar consists of Consonants, Vowels and Tones too. On March 15, 2007, Demos, a UK think tank , recommended that the UK embrace 'modern' Englishes , since far from being corruptions of English, new versions of the language, like Chinglish and Singlish, have values "that the British need to learn to accommodate and relate to.” When even other nationalities recognise that we need to move towards a gradual acceptance of Singlish, what more of our own government? Singlish as it is has permeated society, and is more than just simply language, but also culture.

Narrator: Thank you for your insight on the matter.

Conclude here, summing up both sides of the argument, giving balanced viewpoints.
 * __SCENE 6__**

Narrator: Singapore is a trading hub, where its citizens come into contact with traders all over the world, everyday. The island city of Singapore is a very important trade center, and most of our money comes from the travel and trade industries. However, in both, a good command of English is necessary to either attract more traders and tourists. Singlish can no doubt be used in Singapore’s heartlands, but when it comes to the CBD, one has to know how to speak standard English. There is a certain time and place when we can use Singlish, and having to speak good, proper English does not mean Singlish has to be abolished, neither should it be the other way round. It is possible for both to coexist, and that has been what the government was aiming for in its numerous campaigns: for Singlish, and Standard English to coexist. Right now, the people who can speak singlish mostly know not how to speak Standard English, but most Standard English speakers do not know how to speak Singlish. Like the saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them”, let us all merge into one, and turn Singapore into a successful global trading hub, especially one with its own unique culture, one that reflects upon Singapore’s history.