Part 1 – Language in cultural context
discussion 1 In what ways is the English these mothers speak in Text 1.8 different from the kind of English you are accustomed to speaking and hearing? 2 How is their use of English an example of both cultural convergence and cultural divergence?
Text 1.8 2 mothers in a hdb1 playground, Arthur Yap, 1981 Arthur Yap is a revered poet in Singapore. After receiving a scholarship to study English in Britain, he returned to the National University of Singapore where he taught creative writing. His poetry usually plays with the varieties of English found in everyday Singapore. He is known for not using capital letters and for playing with punctuation. ah beng is so smart already he can watch tv & know the whole story. your kim cheong is also quite smart, what boy is he2 in the exam? this playground is not too bad, but i’m always so worried, car here, care there. at exam time, it’s worse because you know why? kim cheong eats so little. give him some complan.3 my ah beng was like that, now he’s different. if you give him anything he’s sure to finish it all up. sure, sure. cheong’s father buys him vitamins but he keeps it inside his mouth & later gives it to the cat. i scold like mad but what for? if i don’t see it, how can i scold?
Figure 1.14 Arthur Yap (1943–2006).
on saturday, tv showed a new type, special for children. why don’t you call his father4 buy some?5 maybe they are better. 1
hdb the Housing and Development Board What place did he get ‌?
2
what boy is he ‌?
3
complan
4
his father
5
why don’t you call his father buy some?
a proprietary vitamin supplement your husband Why don’t you ask his father to buy some?
Activity 1.2 Do some research on Singapore English (Text 1.8). s &IND OUT ABOUT HOW IT CAME INTO EXISTENCE AND PRESENT YOUR FINDINGS TO THE CLASS s 4RY TO MAKE PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS DIALECT s !S THE YOUTH OF 3INGAPORE COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY is Singapore English dying out? s !LTERNATIVELY AS IT IS TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS AND SPOKEN IN PEOPLE S HOMES is it gaining recognition and becoming more standardised?
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