My English Blog Project: Blog 1: Poor Command of the English Language among Singaporean Youths

Main Articles

Tan, P. (2006, July 20). Speaking of Good English... The Straits Times, p. 27. http://newslink.asiaone.com/user/OrderArticleRequest.action?order=&_sourcePage=%2FWEB-INF%2Fjsp%2Fuser%2Fsearch_type_result.jsp&month=07&year=2006&date=20&docLanguage=en&documentId=nica_ST_2006_4469631

Tan, S. (2006, June 18). Why you speak and write like dat?. The Straits Times, p. L12. http://newslink.asiaone.com/user/OrderArticleRequest.action?order=&_sourcePage=%2FWEB-INF%2Fjsp%2Fuser%2Fsearch_type_result.jsp&month=06&year=2006&date=18&docLanguage=en&documentId=nica_ST_2006_4258592

The purpose of these articles is to comment on the “poor command of the (English) language” in Singapore. I have examined this problem with emphasis on youths, since it is more relevant.

Although this article is relatively old, I personally feel that the issue of poor English among youths is still prevalent, despite government expenditure on English promotional campaigns. Although I don’t speak flawless English, I strongly believe that we should not mangle the language.

English is far by the most powerful language in the world. Not only is it the working language, but more importantly, it has become an important communication tool that transcends International boundaries.

It is necessary to examine why English among Singaporean youths is in an appalling state, since our youths will have to deal with foreigners when they age, be it due to business or politics. I believe that the poor English of youths is due to a combination of factors.

Has the distinction between “English” and “Singlish” faded, as Mr Paul Tan believes? I beg to differ. I believe that Singaporean youths are making a conscious choice when adopting Singlish as their mode of communication.

Rather, for many Singaporean youths, “Singlish” has become an integral part of their cultural identity, having been brought up in a Singlish-dominated environment. To them, “Singlish” is more relevant and personal than “boring English”.

This could be a consequence of technological advancement. The development of online chat messengers and phone messaging (SMS) has resulted in the inclusion of many colloquialisms and abbreviations in Singlish, thereby resulting in youths making the (incorrect) assumption that using such terms when speaking is acceptable.

External influences also come in the form of peer pressure. Peer pressure is a serious problem among youths, as the need for acceptance and popularity causes many youths to jump on the bandwagon by adopting Singlish in a bid to fit in.

A general dislike for English among youths and the decrease in emphasis placed on English in educational institutions has led to a fewer number of students choosing to study Literature. Citing our school as an example, students are able to drop Literature at Secondary 3. While this most certainly does not condemn one to poor mastery of English, decreased exposure to the English language (increased exposure to Singlish) means that the probability increases significantly.

Although the quality of spoken English among youths is declining, I sincerely believe that the situation is not hopeless. As pointed out by Sumiko Tan, our government has recognised the problem and is trying to improve the quality of youths’ English through the “Speak Good English Movement” that is publicised by the media through columns in The Straits Times and STOMP. In addition, the government has also used music as a medium to promote the use of good English.

English’s value is increasing with globalisation. Without a strong linguistic foundation, it will only be a matter of time before our youths are eliminated by superior adversaries. Let’s take action before it’s too late.

Word Count: 500 words

*Please note that the author apologises for any errors made in this piece of writing.