Multilingualism among the elderly Chinese in Singapore

An Oral Account

Bibliographic Data

ID4179718
AuthorsVanessa Ellen Mei Yin Nah (Nanyang Technological University , Singapore , Singapore), F Cavallaro (0000-0002-9376-0513, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore , Singapore), Ivan Panović (0000-0002-7021-3293, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore , Singapore), Bee Chin Ng (0000-0001-9189-5898, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore , Singapore, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume2021
Issue270
Pages153-179
Publication date2021-07-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of the Sociology of Language (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0165-2516 • E-ISSN: 1613-3668
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/ijsl-2020-2119
OpenAlexW3165727939
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited10

This study aims to qualitatively document the histories of Singapore's Chinese multilingual elderly. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Chinese Singaporeans aged 75 years and above on how and why they acquired the languages they speak and their attitudes towards these linguistic varieties, of which many are declining in usage. Five participants were multilingual and spoke three or more languages fluently; two spoke only two languages and were included for a balanced and holistic perspective. Common themes from the interviews were identified and discussed. One key finding was that communicative necessity and practicality naturally fuelled language learning. Outside of the home, multilingual individuals acquired varieties from conversing with friends, relatives and customers, or as an educational requirement. Language was tied to ethnic belonging, but, generally, pride to speak a linguistic variety was linked to its functional value, not its associated ethnic identity. Unhappiness was expressed at the waning of the Chinese vernaculars and Baba Malay in Singapore today. Such language loss was seen as a sombre, but unavoidable consequence of Singapore's globalisation and modernisation

Ethnic group · Globalization · Linguistics · Malay · Modernization theory · Multilingualism · Neuroscience of multilingualism · Pedagogy · Political science · Pride · Sociology · Anthropology · Gender Studies · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Socioeconomic Development in Asia

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