2I1BoonHian

Group Members:
1. Ng Boon Hian (12) Leader 2. Joshua Koh (4) 3. Valen Lim (7) 4. Russell Ewe (16) 5. Darren Tan (20)

=Radio Documentary Script=


 * 1) **Colin Lim, a radio journalist (Darren Tan).** Serves as narrator, and introduces the listener to the subject at hand through anecdotes. On hand to explain certain jargon to listener during interviews.
 * 2) **Ms. Martha Tan, Director of Projects & Communications, Speak Good English Movement (Ng Boon Hian).** As the spokesperson for the Speak Good English Movement, she is vehemently against Singlish, saying that it is a sign of the degrading Singapore society. Contends that there are other culturally significant items that Singapore has other than Singlish
 * 3) **Dr. Chua Chee Peng, Ph.D, Head of Faculty, Faculty of Art and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore (Russell Ewe).** Supports the use of Singlish, citing the need to preserve 'Singapore Identity'. Argues that it is still possible to be competitive in the global scene despite Singlish.
 * 4) **Ms. Irene Ng, a tour guide operating in Singapore (Darren Tan).** Explains that most tourists find Singlish fascinating and not uncouth at all. Personally tries to ensure that she does not use large amounts of Singlish in front of the tourists.
 * 5) **Mr. Craig Marshall, an Australian expatriate working in a local law firm (Valen Lim).** Has worked in Singapore for close to 3 years. Maintains that Singlish is unique and should be preserved. Parallels Singlish to Australian slang and accent, questioning why the Singapore Government has taken such a strong stand against Singlish.
 * 6) **Mr. Tay Shi Rui, Head of Department, English Department, Chai Chee Government School (Joshua Koh).** Acknowledges frequent use of Singlish among students and teachers alike. Takes a neutral stand on Singlish, saying that while it is important for students have a good grasp of English, Singlish is something that is close to many Singaporeans.

Supporting Roles:

 * 1) **The Dying Fudgeman, host of radio segment preceding the radio documentary (Valen Lim).** Introduces the listener to the upcoming radio documentary.

Script:

 * __Introduction__**


 * Dying Fudgeman:** *cue ending of song* And that was Queen's classic, Bohemian Rhapsody. It's now 5 in the afternoon and this is Colin Lim with his series, Perspectives of Singapore.


 * Cue theme music*


 * Colin:** Should Singlish be tolerated in today's modern society? Can Singapore still be competitive in the global market despite this language handicap? These are just a sample of the various questions populating the minds of citizens and ministers today. Hello, I'm Colin Lim, and today, we will be exploring the Singlish-English debate, a debate that has been raging ever since Gurmit Singh donned his wig back in 1997 and begun his role as the Singaporean loudmouth, Phua Chu Kang.


 * Cue interval music*


 * Colin:** Singlish is considered by many to be the second language of Singaporeans. This is understandable, owing to the fact that the Singlish vocabulary consists of words originating from English, Malay, Indian and a variety of Chinese dialects. Over the years, this language has provided a platform for many uneducated Singaporeans to converse effectively with the other races. However, in recent times, the Singapore Government has emphasised the need to converse effectively with those beyond our shores as well, with 'Standard' English as a common language. This is the main reason behind our government's decision to spearhead the Speak Good English Movement. I'm now here with Ms. Martha Tan, the spokesperson for the movement.


 * __Scene 1__**


 * Colin:** Good afternoon, Ms. Tan.


 * Ms. Tan:** Good afternoon, Colin.


 * Colin:** Now Ms. Tan, why is the government taking this stand on Singlish?


 * Ms. Tan:** Here at the Speak Good English Movement, we feel that the use Singlish is not just a bad habit that we need to overcome, but also a sign of the degrading Singaporean society. Surveys that we have conducted imply that many foreigners find Singlish uncouth. In addition, they do not understand a word of it. This is a major hindrance to our ambition of becoming a major world player in the global market. As English is the main language used in in the international community, it is of utmost priority that we ensure that our citizens are equipped with the language skills to communicate with English. This is the driving factor for the many campaigns that the Speak Good English Movement has undertaken to meet our goals.


 * Colin:** I see. Some Singaporeans contend that Singlish is part of our national identity, making it all the more important to preserve it. What would you say to them?


 * Ms. Tan:** Granted, Singlish is seen as a religiously conserved heritage to some Singaporeans. However, there are other culturally significant items worth preserving like the Merlion and our national dish, chicken rice. While these do not necessarily yield any barriers to our goal, Singlish, on the other hand, does cause many predicaments. Besides degrading our society, it is also an amorphous language barrier to most of the foreign talent that we are currently trying to attract. It will only crystallise in time to come if no panacea is provided to rectify this problem. To put this into perspective, Singlish is a pimple on our otherwise spotless image. While some might live in denial and claim that it is a beauty spot, it is a parasitic reality that is festering good English here. It is a variant which hinders communication and sullies the good name of Singapore, in which case it cannot be considered a national icon. To preserve Singlish would be akin to breeding Dengue in residential areas. More and more areas would be affected and are therefore harder to root out. Thus, there is an urgent need to remove Singlish, which we achieve through our various campaigns.


 * Colin:** Thank you for granting us this interview.
 * Ms. Tan:** My pleasure. You're welcome.


 * Colin (in a voiceover):** We've just heard Ms. Tan's take on the Singlish-English debate. Now, we will be hearing from the other end of the spectrum; those who feel that the Singapore Government should not take such strong stand against Singlish. Here with us today is Dr. Chua Chee Peng, the Head of the Arts and Social Sciences Faculty at the National University of Singapore.


 * Cue transition music*


 * Colin:** You must be Dr. Chua. Good afternoon, I'm Colin from Radio 96.0FM.


 * Dr. Chua:** Good afternoon.


 * Colin:** So, Dr. Chua, we've just heard from Ms. Tan, the spokesperson from the Speak Good English Movement. Do you agree with her point of view?


 * Dr. Chua:** No, not at all. In my opinion, Singlish is a unique language that we can call our own. It is also highly significant of our culture, being a mish-mash of the languages of our 4 major races. The other 'culturally significant' items that Ms. Tan had mentioned before do not have the same cultural impact as Singlish itself. After all, our national dish, chicken rice, is essentially an idea imported from the Hainan Province in China. If we lose our culture, we are reduced to a bland, industrial nation only notable for its efficiency. In doing this, we are neglecting our tourism industry, a major source of income for the Singapore Government.


 * Colin:** That's an interesting take on Singlish. However, Ms. Tan did make a valid point about the use of Singlish being a hindrance to our ambitions. How would you address this issue?


 * Dr. Chua:** Indeed, that is a valid point. However, I believe that a majority of the citizens that are directly involved in the Singlish-English debate, namely the service and education sectors, are able to code-switch to match the situation appropriately. Me and my colleagues for example, make frequent use of Singlish when we're out of the office. However, when we are called upon to formal occasions, we change our language to suit the needs. This is the key to solving the problem of Singlish. By moderating our usage, we would still be able to remain competitive among other countries and retain a slice of our culture. It is also crucial to note that we are not supporting Singlish directly. Instead, we just feel that the government is taking to harsh a stance against Singlish.


 * Colin:** Thank you, Dr. Chua.

__**Scene 2**__


 * Cue interval music*


 * Colin (in a voiceover):** We've now heard from the two experts, but how does the common man-on-the-street feel about the Singlish-English debate? To gain a better understanding, I've come to the heart of the service sector, the Raffles Place financial district, to find answers.


 * Colin:** Excuse me, madam? Hi. I'm Colin from Radio 96.0FM and we're doing a radio documentary on Singlish. Would you mind if we ask you a few questions?


 * Ms. Ng:** No problem lah. Just wait for a while ah.


 * Ms. Ng (in background):** Ladies and gentleman, please, ah, feel free to explore Raffles Place for a while. I come back in about 2 minutes.


 * Colin:** Oh! So, you are a tour guide? Do you come into contact with tourists frequently?


 * Ms. Ng:** Yah, yah. Ever since the economy kena, I need more money to support my daughter, so I work as tour guide lor. But because I only learn a bit, so my English, not very good.


 * Colin:** So how do the tourists normally react when they hear you speak Singlish?


 * Ms. Ng:** Actually ah, they find it lagi interesting one. When I join last time, I was very kiasee, try to use very little Singlish. But then, the ang mor tell me they like it one. So i just act normal lor. If they dunno what I say, I just explain to them.


 * Colin:** How fascinating...


 * Ms. Ng:** Alamak! I got to go now. Sorry ah...


 * Colin:** Thanks anyway. Er... excuse me, sir? Are you familiar with the concept of Singlish?


 * Mr. Marshall**: Why, yes indeed. Ever since I was transferred to Singapore back in, oh, 2006, I've heard Singlish on an almost daily basis.


 * Colin:** So as an expatriate, do you find Singlish irritating?


 * Mr. Marshall:** No, not at all. Back in Australia, we also our own slang. On top of that, we also have the AQI, also known as the Australian Question Intonation. This is such that every sentence we speak ends in a slightly higher tone, akin to that of asking a question. In fact, I find that Singlish has a somewhat tuneful tone to the pronunciation.


 * Colin:** Hmm... So with regards to your explanation, what do you feel about the Singapore Government's stance against Singlish.


 * Mr. Marshall:** Personally, I find that your government is somewhat overreacting to Singlish. After all, Australia, Britain and Canada, among other countries, all have their own slang, yet their respective governments have nothing against them. In fact, over the 3 years that I've spent in Singapore, I've grown to adapt to the Singlish language. As the popular saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."


 * Colin:** Very well. Thank you for your time.


 * Mr. Marshall:** No problem. G'day.


 * Colin (in a voiceover):** Now that we've heard from the service sector, we will move on to interview those concerned in the education sector, in particular, teachers. I joined here by Mr. Tay Shi Rui, the Head of the English Department at Chai Chee Government School.


 * Colin:** Good afternoon, Mr. Tay.


 * Mr. Tay:** Good afternoon.


 * Colin:** So, Mr. Tay, do you find Singlish a problem in your school?


 * Mr. Tay:** To a certain extent, yes. Singlish is indeed rampant among our students and we have taken several measures to combat this, such as a readership programme for our library. However, we've found out through a survey conducted among our students that they are still heavily rooted to Singlish, making it much harder for us teachers to eradicate the use of Singlish in its entirety. Hence, we have concentrated our efforts instead on simply ensuring that students are able to speak fluent English. With this skill, we hope that the skill to 'code-switch' would come instinctively to them.


 * Colin:** So instead of abolishing Singlish, you choose to provide them with the skill to use English for the moments where it is required of them?


 * Mr. Tay:** Yes, that is what we are aiming for at Chai Chee Government School. To aid the students in developing this skill, we have several talks and seminars in the pipeline for our students. Personally, I feel that Singlish is an important part of our culture, and that it would be a sin to lose it. Many adults, myself included, grew up speaking Singlish. Singlish served as a springboard that helped me to begin my English studies. The teachers and I have decided on this policy in the hopes that the students would follow suit and begin to moderate their Singlish usage as they mature.


 * Colin:** What an interesting insight. Thank you, Mr. Tay.

__**Conclusion**__


 * Colin (in a voiceover):** Indeed, the point that Mr. Tay made was insightful. His concept can also be applied to the Singlish-English Debate in general. Instead of pursuing a rigourous campaign against Singlish, it may be wise to adopt a milder stance, so as to preserve our Singaporean culture and identity. However, in the end, this is just one of the many opinions circulating around the island-nation. With that, we leave you to form your own opinion on the debate. Thank you for listening and be sure to join us again for another edition of Perspectives of Singapore


 * Cue theme music, fade out*