Language practices in Malay-Chinese families in Singapore

Ng, Bee Chin; Tan, Mei Jing Jo; Pauwels, Anne; Cavallaro, Francesco

Abstract

Studies on language shift in Singapore have focused on the language use within ethnic communities. However, despite increasing numbers of interethnic marriages, very few studies have explored the effect of such marriages on LS. This article explores the language practices within Malay-Chinese mixed marriages and examines how language policies in these marriages and families are negotiated. Through the analysis of surveys and interviews with 16 Malay-Chinese interethnic families, this study found that English transcends both Malay and Mandarin in terms of language use in all domains. The linguistic choices of participants are also dependent on their interlocutors. Parental ideologies, both overt and covert, point to Mandarin being perceived as important for their children’s future while Malay was perceived to be a more familial language. This paper also highlights the influence government policies have on Singaporeans’ perceptions on the status of languages. The data points unambiguously to language shift in progress within these families, away from either Mandarin or Malay towards English.

Citation

Ng, B. C., Tan, M. J. J., Pauwels, A., & Cavallaro, F. (2024). Language practices in Malay-Chinese families in Singapore. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 45(8), 2940-2960. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2080214

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 16, 2022
• Online Publication Date: May 27, 2022
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jun 7, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
• Print ISSN: 0143-4632
• Electronic ISSN: 1747-7557
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 45
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 2940-2960
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2080214
• Keywords: Interethnic marriage, sexogamy, Singapore, family language policy, multilinguals, language shift
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01434632.2022.2080214