ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the language shift phenomenon in Singapore as a consequence of the top-town policies. By looking at bilingual family language policies, it examines the characteristics of Singapore's multilingual nature and cultural diversity. Specifically, it looks at what languages are practiced and how family language policies are enacted in Singaporean English-Chinese bilingual families, and to what extent macro-language policies, that is national and educational language policies, influence and interact with family language policies. The chapter describes the actual language practices in Chinese and English speaking families against the background of the Speak Mandarin Campaign and the current bilingual policy implemented in the 1970s. It discusses the reality of such language management measures in contrast with the government's 'separate bilingualism' expectations with regard to 'striking a balance' between Asian and Western culture and between English and mother tongue languages. The chapter demonstrates how family language policies are associated with sociocultural and political forces.
