To raise falling English standards here, it is ideal to start with the young, say experts
By Tan Dawn Wei 13 September 2009
‘We go eat sell-men sashimi then go watch the tree o’clock flim.’
Say all this aloud to a Singaporean and he will likely get your drift.
But try it on a non-Singaporean living here and he might think you are a cannibal who enjoys gazing at trees.
If you are still lost in translation, the words above mean: ‘Let’s have salmon sashimi before we catch the three o’clock film.’
When correctly spoken, salmon is ‘samon’ (the ‘l’ is silent), and film is ‘fil-mm’ (with no pause).
Clearly, spoken English here - its grammar and vocabulary as well - can be improved. A start could be made with young people.
After all, everyone knows students here often ace maths and science and even bag international awards in these subjects.
Perhaps it is why this year’s Speak Good English Movement, launched two weeks ago, is reaching out to young Singaporeans between the ages of 18 and 29.
Most English language experts agree that the standard here is not sterling. This seems to apply to all age groups, it should be noted.
But Ms Elizabeth Mesenas, who teaches English at Millennia Institute, said she has noticed over the years a discernible drop in her students’ English proficiency.
‘When I started teaching in 1999, at least 10 students from each of my General Paper classes would clinch an A/B grade at the national exams. Now, I would be relieved if five students per class hit this target,’ she said.
Their common errors? The usual ones occur in spelling, use of tense and subject-verb agreement. But students now use vocabulary in inappropriate ways too, she said.
Ms Laraine Bamrah, a teacher training and development manager at the British Council, said Singaporeans’ exposure to several languages results in breadth, but the richness and depth acquired in any one language is compromised.
This can affect accuracy.
‘Singaporeans are generally very fluent. They can hold a good conversation, but not always accurately,’ said the Briton, who trains English language teachers in mainstream schools here.
Ms Mesenas said her students come from homes where the spoken language is often Malay or a Chinese dialect. Even if English is spoken at home, its use is likely to be combined with the mother tongue.
‘They feel more comfortable communicating that way. Good, correct English is seen as a language that is used for ‘official’ purposes - at work or in school, during presentations and essay assignments,’ said Ms Mesenas, one of the winners of last year’s Inspiring Teacher of English Award.
Book publisher Goh Eck Kheng, chairman of the Speak Good English Movement, felt that Singapore has lost the environment where good English is often heard.
‘I asked one of my old English teachers about this problem, and he said, ‘The British left’. I understood what he meant. When the British were around, people who spoke to them were more careful,’ he said.
Ironically, the standard has fallen with greater connectivity with the world. Language use on the Internet is not moderated and that means people are exposed to bad role models, said Ms Bamrah.
‘The problem is that Singaporeans do not seem to grasp metaphor, and so long as they don’t grasp metaphor, they are going to remain at the lower end of the spectrum,’ said Dr Kirpal Singh, a poet and literary critic.
But Associate Professor Lubna Alsagoff, of the English language and literature department at the National Institute of Education, thinks the country has come a long way in its English language competency.
‘English is a very difficult language because there are so many exceptions to the rule. As such, you will definitely find people making the same errors,’ she said.
‘English has democratised. It’s now a language of the masses. Once you have something used by so many people, it’s bound to change,’ she added.
How, then, do Singaporeans improve? The answer: listen and read.
‘We must read the good and great works written in the language - from the writings and speeches of Winston Churchill to the plays of Shakespeare to the novels of Henry James to the poems of Edwin Thumboo,’ said Dr Singh, an associate professor of English literature at Singapore Management University.
‘If after years and years of studying and learning English, we are no better than just being basically literate in the language, then we cannot, in all honesty, say we are doing okay,’ he said.
Teachers need to equip young learners with a solid foundation and the courage to speak well, said Mr. Matthew Ong, an English language teacher at Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) and one of the winners of last year’s Inspiring Teacher of English Award.
‘The truth is that when they speak well, they will get their ideas and feelings communicated clearly and accurately, and that commands more respect,’ he said.
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Singapore English
How come talk like dat?
To raise falling English standards here, it is ideal to start with the young, say experts
By Tan Dawn Wei
13 September 2009
‘We go eat sell-men sashimi then go watch the tree o’clock flim.’
Say all this aloud to a Singaporean and he will likely get your drift.
But try it on a non-Singaporean living here and he might think you are a cannibal who enjoys gazing at trees.
If you are still lost in translation, the words above mean: ‘Let’s have salmon sashimi before we catch the three o’clock film.’
When correctly spoken, salmon is ‘samon’ (the ‘l’ is silent), and film is ‘fil-mm’ (with no pause).
Clearly, spoken English here - its grammar and vocabulary as well - can be improved. A start could be made with young people.
After all, everyone knows students here often ace maths and science and even bag international awards in these subjects.
Perhaps it is why this year’s Speak Good English Movement, launched two weeks ago, is reaching out to young Singaporeans between the ages of 18 and 29.
Most English language experts agree that the standard here is not sterling. This seems to apply to all age groups, it should be noted.
But Ms Elizabeth Mesenas, who teaches English at Millennia Institute, said she has noticed over the years a discernible drop in her students’ English proficiency.
‘When I started teaching in 1999, at least 10 students from each of my General Paper classes would clinch an A/B grade at the national exams. Now, I would be relieved if five students per class hit this target,’ she said.
Their common errors? The usual ones occur in spelling, use of tense and subject-verb agreement. But students now use vocabulary in inappropriate ways too, she said.
Ms Laraine Bamrah, a teacher training and development manager at the British Council, said Singaporeans’ exposure to several languages results in breadth, but the richness and depth acquired in any one language is compromised.
This can affect accuracy.
‘Singaporeans are generally very fluent. They can hold a good conversation, but not always accurately,’ said the Briton, who trains English language teachers in mainstream schools here.
Ms Mesenas said her students come from homes where the spoken language is often Malay or a Chinese dialect. Even if English is spoken at home, its use is likely to be combined with the mother tongue.
‘They feel more comfortable communicating that way. Good, correct English is seen as a language that is used for ‘official’ purposes - at work or in school, during presentations and essay assignments,’ said Ms Mesenas, one of the winners of last year’s Inspiring Teacher of English Award.
Book publisher Goh Eck Kheng, chairman of the Speak Good English Movement, felt that Singapore has lost the environment where good English is often heard.
‘I asked one of my old English teachers about this problem, and he said, ‘The British left’. I understood what he meant. When the British were around, people who spoke to them were more careful,’ he said.
Ironically, the standard has fallen with greater connectivity with the world. Language use on the Internet is not moderated and that means people are exposed to bad role models, said Ms Bamrah.
‘The problem is that Singaporeans do not seem to grasp metaphor, and so long as they don’t grasp metaphor, they are going to remain at the lower end of the spectrum,’ said Dr Kirpal Singh, a poet and literary critic.
But Associate Professor Lubna Alsagoff, of the English language and literature department at the National Institute of Education, thinks the country has come a long way in its English language competency.
‘English is a very difficult language because there are so many exceptions to the rule. As such, you will definitely find people making the same errors,’ she said.
‘English has democratised. It’s now a language of the masses. Once you have something used by so many people, it’s bound to change,’ she added.
How, then, do Singaporeans improve? The answer: listen and read.
‘We must read the good and great works written in the language - from the writings and speeches of Winston Churchill to the plays of Shakespeare to the novels of Henry James to the poems of Edwin Thumboo,’ said Dr Singh, an associate professor of English literature at Singapore Management University.
‘If after years and years of studying and learning English, we are no better than just being basically literate in the language, then we cannot, in all honesty, say we are doing okay,’ he said.
Teachers need to equip young learners with a solid foundation and the courage to speak well, said Mr. Matthew Ong, an English language teacher at Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) and one of the winners of last year’s Inspiring Teacher of English Award.
‘The truth is that when they speak well, they will get their ideas and feelings communicated clearly and accurately, and that commands more respect,’ he said.
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