Singlish is thriving, but it's also changing. What does that mean for Singaporean identity?

About this episode

The episode discusses the evolution of Singlish and its significance to Singaporean identity with experts in the field.

A recent survey by the Institute of Policy Studies found a growing acceptance of Singlish among Singaporeans, with many viewing it as an important part of national identity that is worth preserving. But like any living language, Singlish is constantly evolving, shaped by new generations and changing ways of speaking. Does this signal a shift in what it means to be Singaporean? Steven Chia speaks with associate professor Tan Ying Ying from Nanyang Technological University and Dr Melvin Tay from the Institute of Policy Studies about how Singlish has changed over the years, and why change may not be something to fear.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Steven Chia

Guests: Tan Ying Ying, Dr Melvin Tay

Topics covered

• Singlish
• Singaporean identity
• language evolution
• cultural preservation
• national identity

Keywords

• Singlish
• Singapore
• language change
• cultural identity
• policy studies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Institute of Policy Studies, Nanyang Technological University

Places: Singapore

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