LANGUAGE USE PATTERNS OF MALAYALEES WITHIN THREE GENERATIONS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

In a multilingual society where languages are in competition, there is the possibility of language shift towards the more popular language. In Singapore, Malayalam is a minority language and is not taught in the school system. Its use among Malayalees has been observed to be decreasing. This study, therefore, seeks to identify the patterns of language use among a Malayalee sample population. It attempts to identify sociocultural, economic and other factors which could contribute to this pattern of language use. The study was carried out with a sample population of 120 Malayalee informants, belonging to 3 different generations. Each generation consists of 40 informants: 20 men and 20 women. The informants met several criteria: age, country of birth and the race of their spouses. The first generation (M1) were born in Kerala and married to Malayalees. They are all above 60 years of age and had worked in Singapore as technicians, administrative officers, surveyors, etc. The second group (M2) are in their 40s and were born in Singapore, which makes them the first Singaporean Malayalees in the study. They were all educated in English in the Singapore school system. The third group (M3) are M2' s children who were also born and educated in Singapore. They are all teenage students. Three questionnaires, one for each generation, were prepared and sent to the respective informants to elicit feedback from them regarding their language use patterns in the various domains and their attitudes towards Malayalam. The responses were worked out and tabulated in percentages, and the data analysed for the reasons or factors that have affected language shift and loss of Malayalam and the patterns of language use of the Malayalees in the various domains. The findings reveal that the M1 group, the oldest, are maintaining the language while the youngest, M3, are agents of language shift. English seems to be the preferred language for both M2 and M3 groups and Malayalam is marginalised in favour of English not only in domains outside the homes, but also in the home domain. The socioeconomic reason is an important part in determining whether English or Malayalam is used. Education is given top priority by the community as they are pragmatic and seek to succeed even if it results in their ethnic language being marginalised. The Malayalee community is aware of the shift in their language and are making some attempts to maintain their ethnic language. However, the Malayalees know that in multiracial Singapore, they have to be practical and are willing to assimilate and call themselves Singaporean Malayalees. The second and third generations feel that their mother tongue, Malayalam, is not a prerequisite to maintain a Malayalee identity. They believe that adherence to traditions and costoms is sufficient to give them an exclusive identity of being Singaporean Malayalees.