Singdarin
Singdarin (simplified chinese : 新加坡式华语）is an interlanguage native to Singapore. It is considered to be a Mixed language. It has evolved primarily due to a combination of two main languages: Mandarin and English. For this reason, Singdarin is sometimes known as "Anglo-Chinese". There were also words from Malay or other Chinese dialects, which are mixed into Singdarin.
Singdarin is the first language of quite a number of younger Singaporeans, especially those whose parents speak a mix of different languages at home such as English, Mandarin, Hokkien etc. Singdarin is also spoken colloquially on streets and among young teenagers in Singapore.
The grammar of Singdarin is usually in Chinese Mandarin, but in some circumstances, it could inter-switch to English grammatical form. The vocabulary of Singdarin consists of a large number of words from English, Hokkien, Malay etc. It is often used when Singaporean Chinese do not know the Chinese equivalent of the word they wish to say, and instead use English words to convey the meaning.
The Singaporean government currently discourages the use of Singdarin in favour of Standard Singaporean Mandarin as it believes in the need for Singaporeans to be able to communicate effectively with the other native Chinese from China or Taiwan.
How Singdarin was formed
Like its Singlish equivalent, Singdarin evolved because many Singaporean-Chinese families have a 'mixed' language environment. For instance, one parent might speak English while the other speaks Chinese, leading to their children combining and mixing the two languages together.
Singdarin also evolved largely because Singapore is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society. The policy of Singapore government is to ensure social and multi-ethnic harmony. Instead of encouraging a certain racial/ethnic group to live in clustered isolated community, Singapore government encourages the majority of Singaporeans to live in HDB flats with a mix of Chinese, Malays, Indian and other people who speak different languages, so as to reduce differences between the diverse linguistic and ethnic groups in Singapore.
When the majority of Singaporeans lived in HDB flats, which had families coming from various language, racial and ethnic background, it generally promotes a 'melting pot environment' and the tendency for different languages to be mixed. In short, it leads to a "mixed culture" (sometimes called "Rojak" culture) and Singdarin was formed. This was in contrast from dwellers who lived in more isolated clustered community, separated from families who speak different languages.
The "mixed culture" was also developed in schools, because Singaporean students came from various language background. Their tendency to use their mixed home languages in daily colloqual conversation had influenced the Mandarin spoken in schools, resulting in Singdarin to be formed.
Example of a Singdarin (Anglo-Chinese) dialogue
- "Ni de office zai nali?"
（"你的Office 在哪里？"） [Where is your office?] [你的办公室在哪里？]
- "Raffles Place. Hen kaojin MRT station."
（"Raffles Place, 很靠近 MRT Station") [Very near MRT station.] [莱佛士坊，很靠近地铁站]
- "You've been working there duo jiu le?"
("You've been working there 多久了"） [How long have you been working there?] [你在这里工作多久了？]
- "Bu tai jiu. Six months. Wo xiang look for another job.
（"不太久，Six Months, 我想 look for another job") [Not long ago, 6 months, I'm thinking of looking for a job] [不太久，六个月，我想找一个新的工作]
- "Maybe mingnian when I complete wode accounting course."
("Maybe 明年 when I complete 我的 accounting course") [Maybe next year when I complete my accounting course] [可能明年，当我完成我的会计课程]
- "But wo yao qu chifan"
("But 我要去吃饭"） [But I'm going for my dinner] [不过我要去吃饭]
Typical English Words used in Singdarin
- But (instead of 不过）
- Then (instead of 然后）
- Actually (instead of 其实）
- Share (instead of 共用）