GLOBALISATION AND LOCALISM SHAPING LANGUAGE POLICY AND PLANNING: HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE

Abstract

THIS THESIS AIMS AT COMPARING AND CONTRASTING CRITICALLY THE DEBATES OVER THE NOTION OF IDENTITY RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF THE THREE COMPONENTS OF LANGUAGE POLICY BY SPOLSKY, NAMELY LANGUAGE PRACTICES, BELIEFS ABOUT LANGUAGE, AND LANGUAGE MANAGEMENT, TO HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE IN AN ERA OF GLOBALISATION. THE THESIS ALSO INVESTIGATES THE UNDERLYING FORCES THAT SHAPE THE DEBATES IN THE TWO POLITIES ON ACCOUNT OF GLOBALISATION. ENGLISH IN SINGAPORE, WHATEVER VARIETY, IS REGARDED AS A SIGNIFIER OF SINGAPOREAN IDENTITY ALTHOUGH THERE IS A DEGREE OF LACK OF CONSENSUS AMONG SINGAPOREANS IN THEIR VIEWS ON WHETHER SPECIFICALLY SINGLISH OR SIMPLY ENGLISH BEST REPRESENTS SINGAPOREAN IDENTITY. AN IMPORTANT LINE OF ARGUMENTATION OF THIS THESIS IS THAT LANGUAGE PROBLEMS IN HONG KONG, UNLIKE THOSE IN SINGAPORE, ARE COMPLICATED BY CHALLENGES ARISING FROM ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REALITIES UNDER CHINESE RULE. CENTRALISED POLITICAL AGENCIES IN HONG KONG EMPHASISE HONG KONG?S INTEGRATION WIT