[lg policy] Politics and the English language: why Singapore is ahead of Hong Kong

[Harold Schiffman]

 Politics and the English language: why Singapore is ahead of Hong Kong

Weiyi Lim says the difference in English standards in Singapore and Hong
Kong comes down to the one major factor dividing them – government policy
PUBLISHED : Monday, 31 October, 2016, 5:05pm
UPDATED : Monday, 31 October, 2016, 6:31pm

Comments: 12
<http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2041642/politics-and-english-language-why-singapore-ahead-hong-kong#comments>
[image: Weiyi Lim] <http://www.scmp.com/author/weiyi-lim>
Weiyi Lim <http://www.scmp.com/author/weiyi-lim>
Share

12
<http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2041642/politics-and-english-language-why-singapore-ahead-hong-kong#comments>
Print
<http://www.scmp.com/print/comment/insight-opinion/article/2041642/politics-and-english-language-why-singapore-ahead-hong-kong?_=1477909841087>
Email
<http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2041642/politics-and-english-language-why-singapore-ahead-hong-kong?_=1477909841087>

More than 10 years ago, I took part in a student exchange, coming to the
University of Hong Kong. As a Singaporean, I was amazed by the liberalism
on campus, where students led protests on matters of concern and held
memorials for events such as the June 4 protests.

While impressed by their political activism, I had another culture shock in
my classes. Used to English as a medium of instruction, I was surprised
when I had to engage in a discussion on political theory in Cantonese
during my tutorials. I was happy to immerse myself in this environment, as
it was a chance for me to pick up the language. However, this practice
definitely didn’t help students who already lacked confidence in English
and needed more exposure to it.
Hong Kong may well be wise in its policy to pursue Putonghua, given China’s
rise

Despite both being former British colonies and successful financial centres
today, Hong Kong and Singapore took different paths in setting their
language policy. In an English proficiency index in 2015
<http://media.ef.com/__/%7E/media/centralefcom/epi/downloads/full-reports/v5/ef-epi-2015-english.pdf>
compiled by EF Education First, a training institution, Hong Kong ranked
33rd among 70 countries and territories. Singapore was 12th.

Singapore had a more immediate reason to use English. Due to the different
ethnicities on the island, Singaporeans had to learn English as the lingua
franca to communicate with one another. In comparison, there was no such
need for Hong Kong to do so. However, Hong Kong was also behind Shanghai,
Beijing, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan in the index. So what happened?
*Why Hong Kong’s worsening English standards are nothing new
<http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/2017660/why-hong-kongs-worsening-english-standards-are>*

The priority given to English by the government has played the major role.
English was given top priority right from the start in Singapore. Schools
using Chinese as a medium of instruction were phased out in the 1970s. The
country’s political will in ensuring the standard of English is seen best
in its tackling of citizens’ use of Singlish, or Singapore English, through
campaigns such as the Speak Good English movement
<http://goodenglish.org.sg/>.

*It’s no more efficient than Cantonese, but Putonghua still the long-term
objective for all Hong Kong schools
<http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1982327/its-no-more-efficient-cantonese-putonghua-still>*

By contrast, in post-handover Hong Kong, Putonghua is seen as more valuable
than English. A recent census report shows that it has replaced English as
the second-most-spoken language by the residents after Cantonese. As Civic
Party lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching noted last year, English is seen
as a “nightmare”
for many students
<http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1875254/mother-tongue-teaching-policy-blame-hong-kong>
.

For what it’s worth, Hong Kong may well be wise in its policy to pursue
Putonghua, given China’s rise. Singapore is playing catch-up now as it
tries to increase young people’s interest in the language.

Still, if Hong Kong wishes to connect with the world outside Greater China,
the government needs to work harder at getting people to like and use
English in their daily life.

http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2041642/politics-and-english-language-why-singapore-ahead-hong-kong


-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its
members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or
sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write
directly to the original sender of any offensive message.  A copy of this
may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20161031/f886ba3e/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list