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English Fluency Switch On, Lah!

Yokoyama Nobuyuki (Hakodate National College of Technology)

English is a foreign language in Japan. Although, English has acquired a well-known reputation as an examination subject, it is difficult to find a place where English is actually used as a real communication tool in daily life. Until recently, I had rarely communicated with others out of school, as I couldn't find any reason to practice English. The inaccessibility of English in Japan frustrated me, so I began losing the motivation to study English as a communication tool.

Then, last July, my homeroom teacher introduced me to the 2011 English Summer Camp held in Singapore sponsored by Kumamoto National College of Technology. He encouraged me to apply for the program. His words emboldened me. Luckily, I was accepted to the program and had a two-week-overseas experience with other Kosen students. Today, I would like to tell you how this English Camp changed my perspective on English and how I acquired English fluency code-switching there.

Let me briefly explain this program. The main purpose of this English camp program is to provide students of National College of Technology with an opportunity to have international experiences and to do face-to-face, hands-on activities with students in Singapore. This program allows Kosen students to promote their basic English communication skills and engineering knowledge necessary for their future. The Japanese students stayed at a school dormitory with foreign students for two weeks. So, I had many opportunities to spend time with foreign students and local Singaporeans and get closer using English.

In Singapore, English is used as an official language and it is even localized as a pidgin language. For example, "Tomorrow dun need bring camera." means "You don't need to bring a camera tomorrow." And "lah" is put at the end of sentences like "OK,lah. Can-can, lah!" This means "OK. I can do it." At first, I was shocked by their extreme modifications of English. However, I gradually got into the Singaporean uniqueness because they integrate their original language with English. Their assertive attitude using their modified English encouraged me to communicate, so I tried not to hesitate speaking even though I knew I would make grammatical mistakes. English spoken in Singapore is dynamic and always changing with the times. That fact thrilled me.

However, now Singapore is trying to make people use proper English rather than Singlish because the Singaporean government has discouraged its use in favor of Standard English.

Ex-Prime Minister Goh Chok To said in his speech, "We learn English to communicate with the world. The fact we use English gives us a big advantage over our competitors. Parents send children to English language schools because they hope the children will get jobs and opportunities when they grow up. To become an engineer, you must know standard English, not Singlish."

So, should Singlish be totally abandoned in Singapore? Do Singaporeans have to give up their uniqueness? ... No, they don't. People I met there used Singlish effectively by breaking through some social barriers. Singapore is a multiethnic country consisting of Chinese, Malaysians and Indians. Singlish has the very important function of uniting Singaporeans with different backgrounds. Therefore, they use proper English for formal occasions and use Singlish for informal social interactions. They will never abandon Singlish. It's part of their identity. I was impressed by their ability to quickly switch from standard English to Singlish at a moment's notice.

I found myself talking quite excitedly with foreign students in broken English. In Japan, speaking English correctly preoccupied me and I found myself more focused on accuracy rather than content. At that time, I was too judgmental about making mistakes in English, which English grammar lessons in Japan try to eradicate. In Singapore, however, I was free from those judgmental feelings.　Coming back from Singapore, my point of view about using English had changed. Before going there, I had only encountered English through mediums like textbooks, TV or computer screens, where only precise and correct English is used. But in Singapore, I discovered an English society, where broken English has been effective to unite people and break the socio-cultural barriers.

As ex-Prime Minister Goh said, it is undesirable only to speak incorrect English. Without grammar, English doesn't function well. A larger vocabulary helps me express my thoughts and ideas more effectively. However, too much focus on forms and correctness makes me a reluctant English speaker, who is afraid of making mistakes. I would like to prepare for both formal and informal English situations. People I met in Singapore helped me to improve my own fluency code-switching in order to speak English more freely. From now on, with this English fluency code-switching, I would like to become a well-balanced English user by remembering the thrilling experience in Singapore. Thank you.