Language

Understanding language use is particularly challenging in a cosmopolitan city-state such as Singapore, with its multi-ethnic society that recognises four official languages – English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. This book reviews and discusses the changing language use patterns within Singapore society from Independence till today. It looks particularly at how they have been influenced by and, in turn, shape the state’s language policies executed through education, language campaigns, mass media and so on. It also illustrates how language management by the Government is challenged by the emergence of colloquial forms such as Singlish, which is embraced by some citizens as uniquely Singaporean.