CONFLICTING NORMS IN SINGAPORE ENGLISH AND THEIR NON-LINGUISTIC CORRELATES

Abstract

Sociolinguistic studies in Singapore English have usually looked at the relationship between the linguistic system and its non-linguistic correlates in functional terms, describing language variation in relation to situational components or users' background, and projecting the speech community as existing in consensus, with shared norms both in evaluative behaviour and actual usage. While such an approach has descriptive adequacy, this Academic Exercise will argue that it overlooks the conflict dimensions ever present in the dialectical development of language in society, and, therefore, lacks explanatory power to account for evidence of linguistic norms pulling in opposing directions, whether at the intraspeaker level or the interspeaker level. Using data extracted from actual language usage, attitudinal surveys language planning policies, studies on language performance and the writing of sociolinguists on Singapore English, this research attempts a critical analysis of communicative behaviour in the Singapore speech community by engaging with metalinguistic issues of ideology and power relations to explain the inconsistancies observed. A framework of analysis which treats language and society as interpenetrating systems, with the central notion of a dialectics will be presented. It also seeks for an integration of microlevel with macrolevel analysis. The two foci chosen are: one, the conflict dimension involved in having Standard British English norms as the pedagogical model in the official language policy when norms of Singapore English prevail over them in reality; and two, how norms of Standard Singapore English may be interpreted as being in conflict with norms of Colloquial Singapore English. While the Academic Exercise looks at the conflict aspect inherent in the speech community, it is also written with the awareness that conflict resolution and linguistic empowerment should be the ultimate goal in all human interaction.