Evolving Identities : The English Language in Singapore and Malaysia

by Ooi, Vincent B. Y.

• ISBN13: 9789812101563
• ISBN10: 981210156X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-10-01
• Publisher: Intl Specialized Book Service

Summary

Evolving Identities is an analysis of the English language in two historically-linked Southeast nation states, Singapore and Malaysia. It details what it means to use English as an everyday language in these countries, and as the medium of international currency at the same time. Written by leading practitioners, the volume is organised in terms of three broad perspectives: macro-linguistic issues, micro-linguistic ones, and the wider implications for recording descriptive (and prescriptive) norms in the dictionary -- since it is the role of the dictionary to record the language. This book will appeal to those who have the vested interest of understanding the nature of linguistic hybridity and resolving its use in both local and global settings.

Author Biography

Vincent OOI Beng Yeow, Ph.D. (Linguistics and Modern English Language), is Senior Lecturer, Department of English Language and Literature, and Deputy Director, Centre for Advanced Studies, at the National University of Singapore

Table of Contents

Contributors	p. v
Introduction	p. ix
The Voices of English-knowing Bilinguals and the Emergence of New Epicentres	p. 1
Is English a First or Second Language in Singapore?	p. 12
Lectal Varieties of Malaysian English	p. 33
Ethnic Group Varieties of Singapore English: Melody or Harmony?	p. 53
Two Issues in the Study of Singapore English Phonology	p. 69
Tense and Aspect in Singapore English	p. 79
Reduplication in Colloquial Singapore English	p. 89
The Cultural Grounding of Singapore English	p. 102
'Jumping on the Bangwagon': Issues in Student Writing	p. 112
Till Divorce Do Us Part: The Case of Singaporean and Malaysian English	p. 125
'Melaka or Malacca; Kallang or Care-Lang': Lexical Innovation and Nativisation in Malaysian and Singaporean English	p. 140
Upholding Standards or Passively Observing Language?: Corpus Evidence and the Concentric Circles Model	p. 168
Glossary	p. 184
References	p. 188
Index	p. 205
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