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Raffles Institution (2012 Doors to Diplomacy Project ID 7310)
We estimate 4 student(s) from 15 to 16 will work on this entry. Description of Our Team: Jia Yao K. A true-blue Singaporean of Chaozhou origin, Jia Yao speaks the Teochew dialect. Zuo Min G. Also born and bred in Singapore, Zuo Min is of Fujian origin and speaks the Hokkien dialect. Pengfei Y. An overseas Chinese scholar with a zest for Singaporean culture, Pengfei is from Jiangsu and speaks standard Mandarin. Zixuan Z. Also relatively new to Singapore but having gained a grasp of local culture very quickly, Zixuan is from Guangdong but is multilinguistic, speaking both the Cantonese and Teochew dialects. Project Description: Our project adopts a two-pronged approach. Firstly, we seek to find out how hybrid languages are formed in the midst of close interaction and coexistence between different cultures and several factors which influenced their development. We also researched on their possible causes and effects and drew on the specific case-study of Singlish, the English-based creole language widely spoken in Singapore. As such, this all ultimately converged in hybrid languages’ role as a unique form of arts and culture, as well as reflecting track four diplomacy, an informal and yet important form of discourse and communication between individuals from different countries. Secondly, we also sought to share our various findings with the public, starting with our fellow schoolmates. This was achieved via presentations and an exhibition and they were organised so as to raise awareness about the importance of Singlish in our local arts and culture. Furthermore, we hoped to show the public that while Singlish is supposedly though to be an inferior and slightly “inferior” form of English, it is actually something to be proud of and hence, treasure as part of our national identity. |