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[h=2]Speak good English? FTs brought in by Govt can’t even speak to begin with![/h]
September 21st, 2012 |
Author: Contributions
This report from CNA titled Call for Singaporeans to “Make Good English Stick” goes like this:
They brought in lots of Mainland Chinese, Tamils, Thai and Burmese migrants who don’t speak Singlish let alone English. They also brought in Hindi speaking Indians and Filipinos who are contented to speak their home languages and dialects.
Sure, not making them speak the National Language, which is Malay, is understandable. But what about leaning to converse in our working language or lingua franca? How do we integrate given the situation?
Our former PM Lee Kuan Yew once observed:
Go into the buses or trains and listen to the conversations. Singaporeans no longer speak Malay even though it is touted as our National Language. Our future generations will have to be conversant in Mandarin or Hindi in addition to English to get a job. Singlish will morph into Chinglish or Hindglish. Even better, go to Golden Mile, Little India, Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road, Peninsular Plaza in North Bridge Road or Geylang.
Finally, how to integrate? Perhaps Grace Fu should devote some of her time to teach Basic English than bathing with the Thais and Burmese. Our multi-racial ethnicity is now even more complicated. We once have four races. We now have fourteen. We have lost our National Language to foreign imports. Our Singlish is now endangered and our English threatened.
.
Richard Lu
.



“This year’s Speak Good English Movement is calling out to Singaporeans to “Make Good English Stick” — a reminder that the skill of using the language effectively and successfully will stick with constant practice.
Chairman of the committee for this year’s Speak Good English Movement, Mr. Goh Eck Kheng, said the movement was launched 12 years ago by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and its emphasis has since evolved.
Then there was a need to help people be aware that they need to speak English well…. Mr. Goh said Singlish may be a part of Singapore’s identity, but it cannot be used in an international context.”
I am wondering if the Government has got it wrong once again.Chairman of the committee for this year’s Speak Good English Movement, Mr. Goh Eck Kheng, said the movement was launched 12 years ago by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and its emphasis has since evolved.
Then there was a need to help people be aware that they need to speak English well…. Mr. Goh said Singlish may be a part of Singapore’s identity, but it cannot be used in an international context.”
They brought in lots of Mainland Chinese, Tamils, Thai and Burmese migrants who don’t speak Singlish let alone English. They also brought in Hindi speaking Indians and Filipinos who are contented to speak their home languages and dialects.
Sure, not making them speak the National Language, which is Malay, is understandable. But what about leaning to converse in our working language or lingua franca? How do we integrate given the situation?
Our former PM Lee Kuan Yew once observed:
“China is currently at a ‘disadvantage’ in a world where English is the lingua franca…….If you learn (English) in China, just like the Koreans, you speak to each other in incorrect English, and you won’t make much progress.”
Isn’t the Government “disadvantaging” Singapore by letting in all odds and sods? What becomes of our lingua franca and National Language in the near future? Will Hindi or Tagalog be added to our four main languages?
Go into the buses or trains and listen to the conversations. Singaporeans no longer speak Malay even though it is touted as our National Language. Our future generations will have to be conversant in Mandarin or Hindi in addition to English to get a job. Singlish will morph into Chinglish or Hindglish. Even better, go to Golden Mile, Little India, Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road, Peninsular Plaza in North Bridge Road or Geylang.
Finally, how to integrate? Perhaps Grace Fu should devote some of her time to teach Basic English than bathing with the Thais and Burmese. Our multi-racial ethnicity is now even more complicated. We once have four races. We now have fourteen. We have lost our National Language to foreign imports. Our Singlish is now endangered and our English threatened.
.
Richard Lu
.