Singlish is so much more than ‘broken English’

As Singapore enters its seventh decade, we face a simple but profound choice: Keep treating Singlish as something to fix or recognise it as part of who we are. Dr Daniel Chan, Senior Lecturer (French) at the Centre for Language Studies, shares his insights on how celebrating Singlish and recognising its value can narrow the divide between social settings. He further posits that to speak like a Singaporean is to move fluently between cultures — with instinct, empathy, and adaptability — not a weakness, but a legacy worth carrying forward.