ABSTRACT

Though Mandarin Chinese is one of the four official languages in Singapore, it was the home language for only 0.1% of the population in 1957 when it was made an official language. At that time, the majority of the Chinese in Singapore spoke a vernacular, such as Hokkien, at home. Things have changed dramatically over the years. The 2015 census shows that Mandarin has risen to become one of the most commonly used languages in Singapore, alongside English. The rise of Mandarin Chinese has been at the expense of many Chinese vernaculars that once were the mother tongues of Chinese Singaporeans. Though Mandarin Chinese is strongly promoted to be the lingua franca among the Chinese population and is taught in schools, it has been overshadowed by the rising tide of English dominance. This competition is discussed in the context of the impact of the ‘Speak Mandarin Campaign’ on the course and trajectory of language use in Singapore. This chapter tracks the ascent of Mandarin Chinese to the present day and examines the current role and status of Mandarin Chinese vis-à-vis other Chinese vernaculars and English in Singapore.