Chinese Language Disappearing in Singapore

Lately a lot of importance is being given to the speaking of (Mandarin) Chinese throughout the world especially in America. However Singapore seems to be following an opposite pattern. Instead of Mandarin finding more acceptance among the youth, it is being disregarded and even ignored.

Many reasons have been sighted for this. Singaporean youngsters primarily identify with the already popular English while generally regarding Chinese as being a lot harder than its rival. In a way they are not wrong. Chinese has about 6000 characters which must be learnt before you can claim to have learned enough about the language. Contrast this with the 26 letters required in English, and the preference becomes clear. Also the youth in Singapore consider little of the career prospects offered by Chinese. Also many parents encourage their children to become educated in English rather than Chinese further compounding the problems.

The Singapore Government has already taken steps to encourage more people to speak Chinese with their "Speak Mandarin Campaign" and heavily promotes books and CD ROMS for teaching Chinese. These are designed to invigorate interest in (Mandarin) Chinese throughout Singapore.

Sadly, people are forgetting their very roots in favor for the latest and greater developments in the world around them. People coming from China to Singapore hoping to find an environment in which they can prosper are quickly disillusioned when they see a place with not so much as a semblance of what they were expecting. "Even all the signs and directions are given only in English" says one immigrant. Apart from China Town and a few other places there isn't a lot of Chinese to be found; this despite the fact that an overwhelming 78% of the population in Singapore is Chinese.

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