English, the golden ticket

“You are from Singapore? How is it you speak English so well?”

Have you ever been asked this question? In a country that is home to a myriad of races, nationalities, ethnicities, religions and cultures, have you ever wondered why English is our primary language?

When Singapore was part of Malaysia our national language was Malay. Our national anthem is still being sung in Malay and some of the older non-Malay generation are still able to speak it fluently. But English has still taken over our little cultural paradise. Singapore chose English as its official language back in 1965 in order to be aligned to the working language in international trade and business.

Across the world, like us, over 400 million people have adopted English as their first language. Another billion know it as a second language and it is the official language in about 60 countries. English is the language used by the greatest number of non-native speakers in the world. 

Old traditions are already making way for more modern ones due to the increase in technology and changing commercial environments. Language is no stranger to this trend. Linguists estimate that almost 90% of the world’s languages will become extinct in the next hundred years. Races, cultures and languages are all being blurred and blended into one another as barriers fade rapidly and English becomes the “Universal language”, the golden ticket to global business, the internet, science, diplomacy and even avian pathology.

English is here to stay and its tentacles are reaching wider and further from its Anglo-Saxon roots. Fortunately for us, our leaders had the foresight to see the importance of the English language for Singapore’s future.

Is it time to spruce up your grasp of the English language?