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Language of Singapore: Culture

Singapore has four official languages - English, Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin Chinese. English is the most commonly spoken language, used in public service, administration, trade, and commerce. Most Singaporeans are bilingual, speaking English and one other language as their mother tongue. Singaporean culture is a blend of Asian and European influences, particularly from Malay, South Asian, East Asian, and Eurasian cultures. Popular customs include shaking hands when greeting others, removing shoes before entering homes or religious buildings, and not touching others' heads or pointing feet at people. Major religions in Singapore include Chinese Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Singaporean cuisine features dishes from Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, and Malay

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77 views2 pages

Language of Singapore: Culture

Singapore has four official languages - English, Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin Chinese. English is the most commonly spoken language, used in public service, administration, trade, and commerce. Most Singaporeans are bilingual, speaking English and one other language as their mother tongue. Singaporean culture is a blend of Asian and European influences, particularly from Malay, South Asian, East Asian, and Eurasian cultures. Popular customs include shaking hands when greeting others, removing shoes before entering homes or religious buildings, and not touching others' heads or pointing feet at people. Major religions in Singapore include Chinese Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Singaporean cuisine features dishes from Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, and Malay

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Ruthchell Ciriaco
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LANGUAGE

Singapore’s languages are as diverse as its people and cultures, creating worlds within worlds in this
southeast Asian megacity.

Language of Singapore
Singapore has four official languages – English, Malay, Tamil and Mandarin
Chinese. Being a former colonial country, English is the most commonly spoken and
written language. It is the lingua franca in Singapore and therefore the de facto
language used in public service and administration, trade and commerce and in the
judicial system. In writing, Singapore follows British English. However, the spoken
colloquial version of Singaporean English is locally called “Singlish”. Although Malay
is the national language of the country, only 15-17% Singaporeans speak the
language. It is officially present in the Singaporean national anthem, in military
commands and in orders and citations only. Most people in the country are bilingual
- they can speak reasonably good English and one of the three other languages as
their mother tongue.

CULTURE

Its contemporary modern culture consists of a combination of Asian and European cultures,
mainly by Malay, South Asian, East Asian and Eurasian influences. Despite being small-
sized, the local customs and cultures of Singapore are a blend of multiple ethnic
influences including Chinese, Malay, Indians and others, the reason being the
country's history as a trading hub. Some popular Singaporean customs and
traditions are:

 While meeting a Singaporean formally or informally, make sure to shake


hands firmly with all, even when departing. A slight bow while shaking hands
is considered respectful.
 Take off the shoes before entering any one's house. Also, remember to take
them off before visiting any temple or mosque.
 Make sure never to pinpoint someone or something with a finger, just raise
your hand for indication.
 While eating with chopsticks, do not stick them upright in the bowl. It is
reminiscent of funeral rites and considered bad luck.
 Do not touch anyone's head, as it is considered sacred by many. On the
contrary, the feet are regarded as dirty, so do not point them directly at
someone.
 Tipping is not customary in Singapore. Most of the restaurants add a 10%
service charge in the bill, in which case, tipping is generally discouraged.
Avoid tipping at hawker centres and food courts. Tipping is also completely
prohibited at the Changi Airport.

RELIGION

Chinese Buddhism happens to be the major religion in Singapore, owing to the large
population of Southern Chinese immigrants and their descendants. Hinduism is also
prevalent, being the faith of those with South Indian heritage. Christianity is growing
quite exponentially as a belief system, and many young Singaporeans are leaning
towards it.

Cuisine

Singapore is not a cheap place to live, but a very pocket-friendly place to eat. From the
street stalls to alfresco cafes to the high-end restaurants, this country lives and breathes
delicious, mouth-watering recipes. Chinese, Indonesian, Indian and Malay dishes are most
common, although being a cosmopolitan hub, Singapore serves all kinds of cuisines.

FESTIVALS

The culture of Singapore is highly influenced by a large number of religious festivities


taking place all around the year. August 9 is the country’s Independence Day, which is
celebrated with the National Day Parade since 2005. Other than this, the public holiday list
of Singapore is a reflection of the country’s racial, religious and linguistic diversity. Among
the assured ones, there is Chinese New Year , Eid-ul-Fitr, Diwali and Buddhist Vesak
Day or the Death of Buddha, as well as Good Friday, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Other celebrated festivals are Pongal, Thaipusam , Buddha Jayanti and Hari Raya Haji.

Arts and Crafts in Singapore


There are a number of museums, art galleries and musical orchestras to celebrate the
artistic culture of Singapore. National Gallery Singapore  is the flagship museum with more
than 8,000 works of South Asian artists. Other important names are Singapore Art
Museum which focuses on contemporary art and Red Dot Museum  with its love for
paintings of mundane, everyday objects.

In music, Singaporeans love folk, pop, rock and classical. The musical scene is
spearheaded by Singapore Symphony Orchestra, established in 1979, with its chief venue
at Esplanade Concert Hall. The Esplanade- Theatres on the Bay  is the nation’s largest
platform for the celebration of performing arts.

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