ABSTRACT
This chapter consists of two main parts. The first part of this chapter briefly introduces the history and use of English in Singapore. The Colloquial Singapore English that we know of today has its roots in pre-independence English-medium schools and likely stabilized sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The second part of this chapter examines the rich linguistic diversity of Singapore, and introduces to the reader how Singaporeans juggle the use of multiple languages in their daily life. The juggling of languages includes selecting an appropriate language for different interlocutors, and the phenomenon of codeswitching. Two hypothetical case studies will be provided to illustrate how typical Singaporeans utilize their linguistic resources in their everyday lives.
