Speak Mandarin Campaign in Singapore: A Ten-Year Review

Abstract

An examination of the Speak Mandarin Campaign in Singapore within the context of language politics & as a model of macrolevel language planning. This long-term language campaign was first launched in this multiethnic & multilingual society in 1979, & aimed at modifying the language behavior of the Chinese population through intensive government-supported promotional programs. Qualitative & quantitative data are used to evaluate the campaign in terms of (1) its promotional strategies & their effectiveness, (2) changing language attitudes & behavior patterns, (3) its impact on the sociolinguistic profile of Singapore society, & (4) its long-term social & political implications.