The ability to speak and be understood is one of the most amazing things. The English language is one of the official languages in Singapore and the second most popular language in the world. Therefore, learning the language is quintessential for anyone looking to thrive well in the country and more than 50 countries in the world that use English as their official language. It is for this reason that we have seen countries that are not native English speaker employ specific rules such as compulsory English learning for kids to help them thrive well in the current global market.
English came from the European countries before spreading to neighbouring continents such as Asia. Here is an account of how the English came to Singapore and became one of the most commonly used languages in the country.
Colonisation
During World War 2, Singapore was colonised by Britain and the British forces. At that time, our native languages were Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin but all these changed upon the entry of the British Empire in Singapore. English began spreading in dense parts with most people, including kids, learning how to speak and write in the language. In the 1970s, all the children in Singapore would interact freely in the new language. Singapore has a universal language called Singlish, which came as a result of mixed words from different people of different races and cultures living in Singapore.
Unity
The language barrier was very common among most ancient Singapore residents until the colonisation age. Most people who knew multiple languages united together when the English language came into being. They used the newly acquired language to do business together without any cultural barrier between them. The children learned English at home and in school, and this reduced discrimination among children from different cultural origins. People from different ethnicities also respected each other’s culture and their way of life.
Current Influence in the Country
Previously, it was challenging to teach in English since most people could hardly understand it. Currently, it is the most widely used corporate language in the country. Most communities in the country are also using the language even outside the professional environment. English has contributed significantly to the country’s economy and its ranking in the global community.
Schools
English was a mandatory language in most schools after the British demanded everyone to learn the language. Most teachers had learned the language earlier, so the acquisition of the language in schools was not a problem. Additionally, there were functional community centres where everyone, including the elderly, received their english conversations courses
As the country progressed and the colonial period ended, the nation maintained English, and it became one of the official languages in Singapore. Children who were born after the language became popular in the country did not have a problem speaking like natives, but a big percentage of people still cannot speak fluently in the English language.
However, the increase of the English language schools is enough proof that the interest to learn the language has not faded over the years, now that it is the second most spoken language in the world. Therefore, you should join the masses and become one of the thousands of people taking English language lesson in the country every year.
