Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-995ml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T11:29:21.149Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3 - Convergence and divergence of English in Malaysia and Singapore

from Part I - English in selected regional and national habitats with a glance at the role of outward-bound communication needs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2016

Gerhard Leitner
Affiliation:
Freie Universität Berlin
Azirah Hashim
Affiliation:
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
Hans-Georg Wolf
Affiliation:
Universität Potsdam, Germany
Get access

Summary

Abstract

The different language policies adopted by Malaysia and Singapore in relation to the English language from the period of independence from British rule onwards signals the beginning of divergence. This has come about because of the distinct routes taken by both countries in their formulation of language policies, leading to differing linguistic landscapes in each country. Malaysia regarded English as a symbol of colonial rule and embraced Malay as the national language for nation-building. There were brief periods in recent times of assigning some prominence to the English language but this was accompanied by policy reversals and the concomitant de-prominence of English in relation to Malay. Singapore, on the other hand, took the pragmatic stance that English is both ethnically and culturally neutral and is therefore suitable to be the de facto official language and de jure working language of the country. The final section of this chapter explores, from a study of the latest acoustic research on selected phonological features of English in Singapore and Malaysia, whether the impact of these differing language policies has led to the development of two phonologically divergent varieties of English and highlights areas urgently needed for future research.

Type
Chapter
Information
Communicating with Asia
The Future of English as a Global Language
, pp. 43 - 55
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2016

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×