Singapore Chinese Research Articles

Handgrip Strength and Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) Test are Predictors of Short-Term Mortality among Elderly in a Population-Based Cohort in Singapore.

Asian studies on how physical tests predict short-term mortality in elderly are scarce. We assessed handgrip strength and timed-up-and-go (TUG) as such predictors among elderly Chinese in Singapore. Prospective cohort study. Community-dwelling Chinese elderly in Singapore. We used data from 13,789 subjects in the prospective, population-based Singapore Chinese Health Study, who had a mean age of 74 (range 63 to 97) years at time of measurements. Subjects underwent assessment for handgrip strength and TUG. They were followed for mortality via linkage with nationwide death registry through 2018. In multivariable analyses, handgrip strength was inversely associated with risk of mortality in a dose-dependent manner: the hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] comparing extreme quartiles was 2.05 (1.44-2.90) (Ptrend<0.001). TUG was positively associated with mortality in a stepwise manner: the HR (95% CI) comparing extreme quartiles was 3.08 (2.17-4.38) (Ptrend<0.001). Compared to those with stronger handgrip and faster TUG, participants who either had weaker handgrip or slower TUG had a significant 1.59 to 2.11 fold increase in risk of mortality; while the HR (95% CI) for those who had both weaker handgrip and slower TUG was 3.93 (3.06-5.05). In time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves, adding handgrip strength and TUG time to a Cox model containing sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and body measurements significantly improved the area under the curve for the prediction of mortality from 0.5 to 2 years (P≤0.001). Among elderly in a Chinese population, handgrip strength and TUG test were strong and independent predictors of short-term mortality.

Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education, and the Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore, 1850s–1960s by Karen M. Teoh

Reviewed by: Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education, and the Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore, 1850s–1960s by Karen M. Teoh Ngu Ik Tien Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education, and the Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore, 1850s–1960s, by Karen M. Teoh. Oxford University Press, 2018, ISBN-13: 9780190495619 The history of female education in Southeast Asia has long been an under-researched topic. Karen Teoh's book has filled this gap by presenting the schooling experiences of the daughters of an immigrant community in Malaya and Singapore from the 1850s to 1960s, and with a focus on a politically turbulent period in the middle of the twentieth century. These women became the first batch among their community to receive a modern education, which then exposed them to modern Asian politics characterized by anti-colonialism and ethno-nationalism. Some of them, through education, became involved in the socio-political struggle of their times, which changed them forever. As such, we can conclude that this book is more than an account of modern female education, but also a sophisticated analysis of how multiple socio-political forces of the time constructed people's identity and determined their destiny. In this case, the people are female members of the diaspora who lived among Southeast Asians. Teoh locates her research subject against a complex background where British colonial officers, Western Christian missionaries, and communal intellectual leaders came onto the scene at a time of ideological battles, depicted by her as 'a century of British Imperialism, Chinese and Southeast Asian nationalism, and patriarch'. She dug into this time period by tracing the moral and ideological origins of two types of girls' schools in Malaya and Singapore. One was founded by Western Christian missionaries and the other by ethnic Chinese leaders who were highly Anglicized in terms of their cultural preferences. The two types of schools make a good comparison given their proximity, founders, distinctive curriculum and student demographics; this gives readers a glance at the historical development of two typical girls' schools in the region. Teoh's research indicates that ethnic identity could be so entrenched that it could overshadow gender identity. This pattern is not particular to the educated overseas Chinese women in the middle of the twentieth century. It has been replicated in many societies, including advanced democracies like the United States. Her research shows that classroom or modern formal education was mostly responsible for constructing these women's identities. The Chinese-medium schools, in particular, were primarily responsible for promoting ethnic-nationalism and political participation among their female students. The establishment of these girls' schools reflects the ideological base of the founders' quest for modern Chinese female education. Rather than training the young female students to become better mothers, the schools' founders showed more interest in nurturing modern female citizens similar to their male counterparts. Both were entrusted with the same responsibilities for saving their nation from Western imperialism. That explains why the schoolteachers and teaching materials from China contained less gender-specific knowledge than the curriculum of the mission girls' schools. With significant numbers of politicians and scholars, Teoh also acknowledges the rise of ethno-nationalism among Chinese students and agrees that it posed a threat to political stability and the British government. However, Teoh does not simply label the trend as evil development as many have done. Instead, she reviews the colonial education policy through a contemporary cosmopolitan perspective [End Page 174] which acknowledges the importance of pluralism in cultural policy, especially the cultural rights of immigrants. Her research reminds us that the cultural tension between natives versus immigrants, and between the ethnic majority and minority is an old issue which has not yet been resolved. The problem will continue to haunt us who are living in the twenty-first century, where the world has become more culturally diverse than in the twentieth century. The book also recognizes a nuance in the ethnic politics of Malaya and Singapore, the intra-ethnic tensions among the Chinese as a result of attending schools with different mediums of instruction and cultural orientation. Prominent scholars such as Wang Gungwu, Tan Chee Beng and Heng Pek Koon have also captured the division among Chinese...

싱가포르 화인의 다문화 수용성 조사

싱가포르 화인의 다문화 수용성 조사

Susceptibility to organophosphates pesticides and the development of infectious-contagious respiratory diseases

In this paper we develop an SIRS compartmental model to investigate the dynamic interplay between pesticide intoxication and the spread of infectious-contagious respiratory diseases. We are particularly interested in investigating three levels of genetic susceptibility to pesticide intoxication. The genotypic distribution of susceptibility to pesticide intoxication, is proposed and parameterized according to ethnic variation using real population data from published studies, and we assume that pesticide intoxication increases susceptibility to infection with a respiratory pathogen. We use mathematical models to illustrate the impact of this distribution on the spread of hypothetical respiratory disease in a population exposed to the organophosphate pesticide. In this context, we show how an initial basic reproductive number below the epidemic threshold of 1.0 could be enhanced to support epidemic outbreaks in agricultural populations that employ chlorpyrifos pesticides. We further illustrate our modeling framework to study the effect of ethnic group variation in Singapore (Malay, Indian and Chinese) using genetic distribution data from published studies.

“Si Geena” (Brat): Un-Social Digital Juveniles’ Episodic Resistance in Singapore

Abstract This paper explores episodes of provocative online articulations and the accompanying angry public reactions as part of the cultural politics of juvenile online resistance in contemporary Singapore. Rather than viewing such delinquency as ‘youth deficits’, this paper seeks a literary-culturalist standpoint in exploring the uninhibited audacity of these public online displays. We perceive such performances as reflecting the critical and socially unrestrained emotional subjectivities of ‘youth mirroring deficits’ of the ‘Emperor’s new clothes’. The authors propose to appropriate the colloquial Singaporean Chinese Hokkien term of Si Geena (brat), a label commonly used to describe these offending personalities, to frame the dynamics of youth resistance, and new media in Singapore. Si Geena are often un-social digital juvenile provocateurs baiting moral outrage and public indignation. In turn, societal responses to the Si Geena’s episodic resistance reveal the contradictions, insecurities, and volatility of Singapore’s reactive public.

Computer-Aided Planning in Orthognathic Surgery: A Comparative Study with the Establishment of Burstone Analysis-Derived 3D Norms.

Three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided simulation has revolutionized orthognathic surgery treatment, but scarce 3D cephalometric norms have been defined to date. The purposes of this study were to (1) establish a normative database of 3D Burstone cephalometric measurements for adult male and female Chinese in Taiwan, (2) compare this 3D norm dataset with the two-dimensional (2D) Burstone norms from Caucasian and Singaporean Chinese populations, and (3) apply these 3D norms to assess the outcome of a computer-aided simulation of orthognathic surgery. Three-dimensional Burstone cephalometric analysis was performed on 3D digital craniofacial image models generated from cone-beam computed tomography datasets of 60 adult Taiwanese Chinese individuals with normal occlusion and balanced facial profile. Three-dimensional Burstone analysis was performed on 3D image datasets from patients with skeletal Class III pattern (n = 30) with prior computer-aided simulation. Three-dimensional Burstone cephalometric measurements showed that Taiwanese Chinese males had significantly (p < 0.05) larger anterior and posterior facial heights, maxillary length, and mandibular ramus height than females, with no significant (p > 0.05) difference for facial soft-tissue parameters. The 3D norm dataset revealed Taiwanese Chinese-specific facial characteristics, with Taiwanese presenting (p < 0.05) a more convex profile, protrusive maxillary apical bases, protruding mandible, protruding upper and lower lips, and a shorter maxillary length and lower facial height than Caucasians. Taiwanese had significantly (p < 0.05) larger maxillary projection, vertical height ratio, lower face throat angle, nasolabial angle, and upper lip protrusion than Singaporean Chinese. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was observed between 3D norms and computer-aided simulation-derived 3D patient images for horizontal skeletal, vertical skeletal, and dental measurements, with the exception of two dental parameters (p < 0.05). This study contributes to literature by providing gender- and ethnic-specific 3D Burstone cephalometric norms, which can assist in the multidisciplinary-based delivery of orthodontic surgical care for Taiwanese Chinese individuals worldwide, including orthodontic management, computer-assisted simulation, and outcome assessment.

A bio-psycho-social approach for frailty amongst Singaporean Chinese community-dwelling older adults \u2013 evidence from the\xa0Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study

BackgroundFew empirical studies support a bio-psycho-social conceptualization of frailty. In addition to physical frailty (PF), we explored mental (MF) and social (SF) frailty and studied the associations between multidimensional frailty and various adverse health outcomes.MethodsCross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted using data from a population-based cohort (SLAS-1) of 2387 community-dwelling Singaporean Chinese older adults. Outcomes examined were functional and severe disability, nursing home referral and mortality. PF was defined by shrinking, weakness, slowness, exhaustion and physical inactivity, 1–2 = pre-frail, 3–5 = frail; MF was defined by ≥1 of cognitive impairment, low mood and poor self-reported health; SF was defined by ≥2 of living alone, no education, no confidant, infrequent social contact or help, infrequent social activities, financial difficulty and living in low-end public housing.ResultsThe prevalence of any frailty dimension was 63.0%, dominated by PF (26.2%) and multidimensional frailty (24.2%); 7.0% had all three frailty dimensions. With a few exceptions, frailty dimensions share similar associations with many socio-demographic, lifestyle, health and behavioral factors. Each frailty dimension varied in showing independent associations with functional (Odds Ratios [ORs] = 1.3–1.8) and severe disability prevalence at baseline (ORs = 2.2–7.3), incident functional disability (ORs = 1.1–1.5), nursing home referral (ORs = 1.5–3.4) and mortality (Hazard Ratios = 1.3–1.5) after adjusting for age, gender, medical comorbidity and the two other frailty dimensions. The addition of MF and SF to PF incrementally increased risk estimates by more than 2 folds.ConclusionsThis study highlights the relevance and utility of PF, MF and SF individually and together. Multidimensional frailty can better inform policies and promote the use of targeted multi-domain interventions tailored to older adults’ frailty statuses.

Pulse Pressure and the Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease Among Chinese Adults in Singapore: The Singapore Chinese Health Study.

BackgroundAlthough hypertension is an established risk factor for chronic kidney disease, less is known about the relationship of pulse pressure (PP), a measure of arterial stiffness, with chronic kidney disease. We investigated the association of systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, PP, and mean arterial pressure with the risk of end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) in the prospective population‐based Singapore Chinese Health Study.Methods and ResultsWe used data from 30 636 participants who had BP measured at ages 46 to 85 years during follow‐up I interviews between 1999 and 2004. Information on lifestyle factors was collected at recruitment from 1993 to 1998, and selected factors were updated at follow‐up I. We identified 463 ESRD cases over an average 11.3 years of follow‐up I by linkage with the nationwide Singapore Renal Registry. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the relations between different BP indexes and ESRD risk. Each BP index was positively associated with ESRD when studied individually. However, when PP was included as a covariate, systolic and diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure were no longer associated with ESRD. Conversely, PP remained significantly associated with ESRD risk in a dose‐dependent manner (P trend<0.001) after adjusting for systolic or diastolic BP. Compared with the lowest group (<45 mm Hg) of PP, the hazard ratio was 5.25 (95% CI, 3.52–7.84) for the highest group (≥85 mm Hg). The association between hypertension and ESRD risk was attenuated and no longer significant after adjusting for PP.ConclusionsOur findings provide a basis for targeting reduction of arterial stiffness to decrease ESRD risk.

Multiple Biomarkers Improved Prediction for the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Singapore Chinese Men and Women.

BackgroundMultiple biomarkers have performed well in predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk in Western populations. However, evidence is scarce among Asian populations.MethodsPlasma triglyceride-to-high density lipoprotein (TG-to-HDL) ratio, alanine transaminase (ALT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), ferritin, adiponectin, fetuin-A, and retinol-binding protein 4 were measured in 485 T2DM cases and 485 age-and-sex matched controls nested within the prospective Singapore Chinese Health Study cohort. Participants were free of T2DM at blood collection (1999 to 2004), and T2DM cases were identified at the subsequent follow-up interviews (2006 to 2010). A weighted biomarker score was created based on the strengths of associations between these biomarkers and T2DM risks. The predictive utility of the biomarker score was assessed by the area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC).ResultsThe biomarker score that comprised of four biomarkers (TG-to-HDL ratio, ALT, ferritin, and adiponectin) was positively associated with T2DM risk (P trend <0.001). Compared to the lowest quartile of the score, the odds ratio was 12.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.43 to 26.6) for those in the highest quartile. Adding the biomarker score to a base model that included smoking, history of hypertension, body mass index, and levels of random glucose and insulin improved AUC significantly from 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78 to 0.83) to 0.83 (95% CI, 0.81 to 0.86; P=0.002). When substituting the random glucose levels with glycosylated hemoglobin in the base model, adding the biomarker score improved AUC from 0.85 (95% CI, 0.83 to 0.88) to 0.86 (95% CI, 0.84 to 0.89; P=0.032).ConclusionA composite score of blood biomarkers improved T2DM risk prediction among Chinese.

Large-Scale Whole-Genome Sequencing of Three Diverse Asian Populations in Singapore

Underrepresentation of Asian genomes has hindered population and medical genetics research on Asians, leading to population disparities in precision medicine. By whole-genome sequencing of 4,810 Singapore Chinese, Malays, and Indians, we found 98.3 million SNPs and small insertions or deletions, over half of which are novel. Population structure analysis demonstrated great representation of Asian genetic diversity by three ethnicities in Singapore and revealed a Malay-related novel ancestry component. Furthermore, demographic inference suggested that Malays split from Chinese ∼24,800 years ago and experienced significant admixture with East Asians ∼1,700 years ago, coinciding with the Austronesian expansion. Additionally, we identified 20 candidate loci for natural selection, 14 of which harbored robust associations with complex traits and diseases. Finally, we show that our data can substantially improve genotype imputation in diverse Asian and Oceanian populations. These results highlight the value of our data as a resource to empower human genetics discovery across broad geographic regions.

Teaching Asian-American Litereature and American Multiculturalism in Singapore

This article examines the implications of teaching Asian American literature and American multiculturalism in Singapore. Using the multicultural and multilingual city-state of Singapore as a case study, I share the challenges and difficulties I experienced as an international teacher in my attempt to translate U.S. ethnic studies into a Singaporean classroom. The essay narrates how local Singaporean students conceptualize and understand U.S.-based multiculturalism and ethnic formation in relation to their own local experiences. Given that Chinese are the major ethnic group in Singapore, I observed how my students responded to Chinese exclusions in U.S. history and applied their findings to the history of Chinese Singaporeans and their relationships with other ethnic minorities in Singapore, such as Malay and Indian Singaporeans. This essay also describes a group assignment I designed asking students to visit five ethnic enclaves in Singapore after reading and discussing Asian American literature about a Chinatown in class. By performing this group work, my students critically compared and contrasted different ethnic settings, histories, and formations between the U.S. and Singapore. This essay ultimately argues that transnational pedagogy of ethnic studies can nourish the creation of alternative imaginaries by using literature to teach students to engage more fully with a different culture.

Saiga horn user characteristics, motivations, and purchasing behaviour in Singapore.

Unsustainable wildlife trade is a pervasive issue affecting wildlife globally. To address this issue, a plethora of demand reduction efforts have been carried out. These necessitate consumer research which provides crucial knowledge for designing and evaluating targeted interventions. We implemented a rigorous consumer survey on saiga (Saiga tatarica) horn use in Singapore, where usage is legal and widely sold. Saiga are Critically Endangered antelopes from Central Asia with horns (often marketed as ling yang) used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Few past studies have assessed saiga horn consumers. This work is the most extensive consumer research to date specifically characterising saiga horn consumers and usage. We conducted 2294 in-person surveys on saiga horn use with Chinese Singaporeans, employing neutral questioning approaches. We found 19% of individuals reported saiga horn as a product they choose most often for themselves and/or others when treating fever and/or heatiness (a TCM state of illness), indicating a minimum estimate of high-frequency usage, not including possible low-frequency users. Overall saiga users were most characterised as middle-aged Buddhists and Taoists. However, saiga users were found in a range of demographic groups. Women preferred saiga shavings (the more traditional form), while men preferred saiga cooling water (the more modern form). About 53% of individuals who used saiga horn themselves also bought it for someone else. Buyers for others were most likely to be female middle-aged Buddhists or Taoists. Key motivating reasons for usage were “it works” and “someone recommended it to me.” The top two reported recommenders were family and TCM shopkeepers. Saiga users were more likely than non-saiga users to perceive saiga as a common species in the wild. This research holds significance for interventions targeting saiga horn consumption within Singapore and throughout Asia, by identifying potential target audiences, product types, non-desirable alternatives, and motivations for use.

Older Adults Show Diminished Sensitivity to Potential Losses in Social Bargaining.

Leaders in many organizations are older adults who routinely make decisions in social bargaining situations. However, we know little about the age-related differences in strategic decision making. In the current study (n = 182), using a modified Prisoner's Dilemma game (PDG), we examined two important intrinsic motivations for non-cooperation: fear of betrayal and greedy desire to exploit other people among young and older Chinese Singaporeans. Results showed that compared with young adults, older adults demonstrated an intact greed motive but a diminished fear motive in the PDG. Our findings suggest a diminished sensitivity to social threat or potential losses due to betrayal in older adults' social decision making. Older adults may have a declined ability to assess social threats even though they retain the motivation to gain an exploitive advantage.

Ethnic differences in bone mineral density among midlife women in a multi-ethnic Southeast Asian cohort.

Information regarding mediators of differences in bone mineral density (BMD) among Asian ethnicities are limited. Since the majority of hip fractures are predicted to be from Asia, differences in BMD in Asian ethnicities require further exploration. We compared BMD among the Chinese, Malay, or Indian ethnicities in Singapore, aiming to identify potential mediators for the observed differences. BMD of 1201 women aged 45-69years was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We examined the associations between ethnicity and BMD at both sites, before and after adjusting for potential mediators measured using standardized questionnaires and validated performance tests. Chinese women had significantly lower femoral neck BMD than Malay and Indian women. Of the more than 20 variables examined, age, body mass index, and height accounted for almost all the observed ethnic differences in femoral neck BMD between Chinese and Malays. However, Indian women still retained 0.047g/cm2 (95% CI, 0.024, 0.071) higher femoral neck BMD after adjustment, suggesting that additional factors may contribute to the increased BMD in Indians. Although no crude ethnic differences in lumbar spine BMD were observed, adjusted regression model unmasked ethnic differences, wherein Chinese women had 0.061(95% CI, - 0.095, 0.026) and 0.065 (95% CI, - 0.091, 0.038)g/cm2 higher lumbar spine BMD compared to Malay and Indian women, respectively. BMD in middle-aged Asian women differ by ethnicity and site. Particular attention should be paid to underweight women of Chinese ethnic origin, who may be at highest risk of osteoporosis at the femoral neck and hence hip fractures.

Estimating Biological Age in the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study.

Biological age (BA) is a more accurate measure of the rate of human aging than chronological age (CA). However, there is limited consensus regarding measures of BA in life span and healthspan. This study investigated measurement sets of 68 physiological biomarkers using data from 2,844 Chinese Singaporeans in two age subgroups (55-70 and 71-94 years) in the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study (SLAS-2) with 8-year follow-up frailty and mortality data. We computed BA estimate using three commonly used algorithms: Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Klemera and Doubal (KD) method, and additionally, explored the use of machine learning methods for prediction of mortality and frailty. The most optimal algorithmic estimate of BA compared to CA was evaluated for their associations with risk factors and health outcome. Stepwise selection procedures resulted in the final selection of 8 biomarkers in males and 10 biomarkers in females. The highest-ranking biomarkers were estimated glomerular filtration rate for both genders, and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second in males and females. The BA estimates robustly predicted frailty and mortality and outperformed CA. The best performing KD measure of BA was notably predictive in the younger group (aged 55-70 years). BA estimates obtained using a machine learning train-test method were not more accurate than conventional BA estimates in predicting mortality and frailty in most situations. Biologically older people with the same CA as biologically younger individuals had higher prevalence of frailty and 8-year mortality, and worse health, behavioral, and functional characteristics. BA is better than CA for measuring life span (mortality) and healthspan (frailty). This measurement set of physiological markers of biological aging among Chinese robustly differentiate biologically old from younger individuals with the same CA.

Karen M. Teoh, Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education, and Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore, 1850s–1960s

华人研究国际学报Vol. 11, No. 01, pp. 113-118 (2019) 书评No AccessKaren M. Teoh, Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education, and Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore, 1850s–1960s吴静玲吴静玲新加坡国立大学中文系, 新加坡 Search for more papers by this author https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793724819000117Cited by:0 PreviousNext AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsRecommend to Library ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail (New York: Oxford University Press, 2017), pp. ix + 248. FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Recommended Vol. 11, No. 01 Metrics History PDF download

Association Between Leukocyte Telomere Length and Colorectal Cancer Risk in the Singapore Chinese Health Study.

OBJECTIVES:Telomeres and telomerase play important roles in maintaining chromosome integrity and genomic stability. To address a lack of consensus about the association between leukocyte telomere length and colorectal cancer, we investigated this association in the Singapore Chinese Health Study.METHODS:Relative telomere length in white blood cells was quantified using a validated quantitative polymerase chain reaction method in 26,761 participants, including 776 incident colorectal cancer cases. The Cox proportional hazard regression method was used to calculate the hazard ratio and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for colorectal cancer associated with longer telomeres.RESULTS:Longer telomeres were significantly associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer (Ptrend = 0.02). Compared with the lowest quartile, subjects with the highest quartile of telomere length had a hazard ratio of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.08–1.62) for developing colorectal cancer. The corresponding elevation in rectal cancer risk for the highest quartile of telomere length was 71% (95% CI: 22–140, Ptrend = 0.02). There was no statistically significant association between telomere length and risk of colon cancer.DISCUSSION:This large cohort study of Singapore Chinese, the first study using a cohort study design with more than 26,000 participants that yielded 776 incidence colorectal cancer cases during 12 years of follow-up, provides evidence in support of longer telomeres being associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer, particularly rectal cancer.

The Dimensions that Establish and Sustain Religious Identity: A Study of Chinese Singaporeans Who are Buddhists or Taoists by Daniel H. Y. Low

The Dimensions that Establish and Sustain Religious Identity: A Study of Chinese Singaporeans Who are Buddhists or Taoists by Daniel H. Y. Low

Linguistic insecurity and the linguistic ownership of English among Singaporean Chinese

AbstractLinguistic insecurity and linguistic ownership rest on the same foundational ideas. However, despite the extensive study of both, the two concepts have never been discussed in conjunction. This paper refines both concepts and puts forth a set of conditions to test for the presence of linguistic insecurity and the exercise of linguistic ownership in 287 Singaporeans through an empirical survey examining their use of English, as well as their perceptions of other speakers in the Singapore English‐speaking community and Singapore English itself. The results reveal that Singaporeans are linguistically insecure but yet exercise full ownership of the English language. These somewhat paradoxical findings uncover an unusual relationship between linguistic insecurity and ownership. We argue in this paper that there exists a new type of linguistic ownership in Singapore, one that does not invoke notions of authority or legitimacy. It is this new notion of linguistic ownership that drives a new brand of linguistic insecurity documented in this paper.

Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education and the Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore 1850s–1960s, written by Karen M. Teoh

Schooling Diaspora: Women, Education and the Overseas Chinese in British Malaya and Singapore 1850s–1960s, written by Karen M. Teoh