Term 3 Blog Post

Singlish; the English language as it is spoken in Singapore; also called Singapore English. - Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English
Singlish has become a national language, regardless of whether the authorities approve of it. It has gained prevalence in society over English as an informal, spoken medium of communication. Yet, with Singapore's goal of becoming a global city-state, is the use of Singlish actually impeding progress?
I believe that the main reason as to how Singlish was able to spread throughout our country, and take root as the dominant spoken language is due in part to its status as a common tongue. Singlish arose during the colonial years, as English began to make its way into daily life, and our ancestors absorbed the language into their mother tongue. Thus Singlish came to be the language of life in the streets of Singapore, beginning in the colonial days. The main draw of Singlish was that anyone could use it, irregardless of race or religion. This is especially evident in National Service, when the conscripts, being of differing race, religion, as well as social class, wish to communicate with one another.
Although the government has voiced its view of Singlish as a substandard form of English that hinders Singaporeans, as it serves as an obstacle when attempting to communicate with the rest of the world. Indeed, foreign expatriates to Singapore will inevitably face problems communicating with locals at the beginning of their stay here, as Singlish, used in its basest form, can prove to be impossible to understand. However, personalities such as Neil Humphreys, a British humour columnist, who lived in Singapore for 10 years, have shown that Singlish is often accepted by expatriates, as yet another quirk of living in Singapore.
In my opinion, while Singlish is indeed an obstacle in our attempts at globalisation, it is still one of the many things that make Singapore, truely Singapore. It is the language that binds us together, a common tongue that transcends the boundaries that divide our people. It is part of our image as Singaporeans, and gives us a sense of identity. Like it or not, Singlish is here to stay.