Singaporean chinese proficiency has a history to trace back. My family of 3 generations is a classic example. My grand parents are from china, both of them can't speak mandarin and can only speak their dialect teochew. At that era, mandarin is view as an official language used in beijing , not an absolute must learn for people living in the countryside. Moving on my grand parents settled in singapore around 1930s and have children (my uncles dad and aunts). At that time, there was chinese school where teaching is done in chinese. My parents generation can speak both dialect and chinese well. Sometimes also melayu as singapore was close to malaysia and subsequently was part of the federal of malaysia. Ard 1965 when independence came, Lee kuan Yew the then minister of singapore make a shift in education policy, all chinese schools ceased and every one have to learn english. So my uncle was the one impacted he went to mainstream school that teaches in english. Naturally he was more proficient in english. So he speaks in english more. His chinese was avg. As his friends too were more of english speakers. But he maintained his proficiency in dialect as teochew is spoken at home. My other uncles and my dad who went to the chinese school can't speak too much of english. Then moving to my generation, 80s borned, this is where it got divided. My dad still speak chinese and teochew at home, i learnt chinese this way and speaks chinese too. However my uncle children can speak english only as he speaks english at home with his wife of sinilar background. Chinese is still taught in school, but without practising, its not easy to learn. I have friends of similar background we nicknamed them ang moh kang dang (caucasian potato). Chiding their westernised lingustic ability and losing asian roots. Then now our next generation, most of the young children have below avg chinese as parents speaks to them in english only mode. They also can't speak dialect as this is not spoken at home. With the emergence of china in 2000s, suddenly the world went crazy on learning chinese. Parents start sending children to specialised language school to learn. However, chinese is probably a language that need daily practise. Children probably can speak but not in depth. Government had also realises this issue and start encourage parents to speak chinese at home. Hope this sharing enlightens on why chinese in singapore can't speak chinese.
@kellyyanliu46092 жыл бұрын
你的分享太好了,就是一部新加坡语言规划的民族志,我现在在写一篇华语传承的文章,可以采访你一下吗?
@user-gq4mf7gb6y2 жыл бұрын
More young kids especially in Shanghai or Shenzhen can only speak mandarin for their parents are not native from Shanghai or Shenzhen but work/settle dowm there. AThough their parents speak their dialect of their hometown, their children cannot get enough places to speak dialect except at home. But proficiency needs practice. This is quite alike genarations who are settled dowm in Singapore or Malaysia.
@deadpool1132 жыл бұрын
I feel like i just experienced the history of 3 generation
@@mk13570 没有必要吹啊。生活在多远种族环境里,学会说多种语言和方言是很正常的事。我没说我精通很多语言。但会一点是事实。我从小就在语言方面学的特别快。你自己或许做不到不代表别人都和你一样。我只是想说不要以为街上访问几个人就可以当作结论。If you don't believe, that's your problem. There's no need for me to convince you.
@@ceciLOVEtaco So ridiculous man! I would suggest u getting some Chinese coachings before ur next comment due to your terrible understanding of Chinese!
It could be quite confusing for some foreigners, so I want to explain a little bit here: There are different Chinese dialects (more than 200 according to Accredited Language.com) spoken by Chinese people around the world, like Cantonese, Hokkien, Mandarin. Hence "Chinese" itself is not a dialect. When people say "speak Chinese", it normally refers to "speak Mandarin" , which is the most common Chinese dialect. I feel like it is not really the case for a lot of other languages. They might have 1 or 2 dialects, but not more than 200. My god.
In 1979, I believe it was actually a speak "Mandarin" campaign in Singapore. It was intended to encourage people to speak Mandarin rather than other Chinese dialects. It had nothing to do with promoting speaking Chinese (rather than English).
@nehcooahnait78273 жыл бұрын
Yeah how do you think now after years of shaming Singlish as ‘bad English’ in the 1990s…?
@espadac47462 жыл бұрын
Those aren't dialects, they're ancient Chinese languages that are far older than Manchu polluted Mandarin.
@ocworkbench Жыл бұрын
Mandarin itself. Is a dialect spoken in northern provinces.
@ocworkbench Жыл бұрын
Don't forget the switch from traditional Chinese character to simplified characters in the 80s too.
@Nick-dr4ec Жыл бұрын
I consider those dialects as languages instead because they are unintelligible with eachother.
@cwchai26234 жыл бұрын
Haha your HK accent is so strong in both spoken English & Mandarin
@vincentlu363 жыл бұрын
It's the tone. Chop chop chop. Because in Chinese pronouncation. Every word has spoken in same length of time.
@maxhope76913 жыл бұрын
@@vincentlu36 The rhythm in spoken Cantonese is "chop chop chop "?
@435keanu2 жыл бұрын
There are two things that are noticable about you, your beauty and your lovely smile. We can be friends right, wechat ID: zxcvbn213x
@singlah4 жыл бұрын
Singapore is a country where the people code-switch and code-mix as a way of life. You instantenously code switch amongst people of different ethnkcities in a conversation and code-mix when having a conversation with your parents and foreign friends together. It is done so effortlessly to the point where a new dialect, Singlsh, was created.
@TerrisOngJianLong12 ай бұрын
Spelling error, it’s *English.
@TheJayzism4 жыл бұрын
My former college mate when I was in Kuala Lumpur tried to order "Char Kuey Teow" in his newly-learnt cantonese, he asked for "炒果條",the hawker asked him back “炒邊條啊?”
@torrespit6664 жыл бұрын
This literally made my day. Someone please make a meme for it.
@CWJ07254 жыл бұрын
KL's char kuey teow is different, they call it 炒河粉, normally taste very bad. - penang lang
@AdrianPak244 жыл бұрын
@@torrespit666 A KZbinr made a video about it -> kzbin.info/www/bejne/jF7NlWmJpMeHaM0
@JG-gp9yh4 жыл бұрын
炒粿條 is a 潮州 dish, Char Goo-Eh Di-Ow for someone from 汕頭/潮陽/揭陽,or Char Goo-eh Dior for 潮州/澄海 people
I have some Singaporean friends in school and we are all Chinese can speak mandarin. Most of the time we still speak English:) sometimes they use some non-English words but I still can get it coz I’m from 潮州. So it’s so fun sometimes when talking w them since we kinda share the language system. We can switch between English Chinese Cantonese and 潮州話 in a conversation which’s fun😝
@SuccessforLifester4 жыл бұрын
The teochew language betwee Teochew and Swatow, is there some differences ? Because at times my teochew friend does not understand my swatow teochew.
@yokelengleng2 жыл бұрын
Wow! You can speak teochew? I believe you must be quite experienced in life?
@billlee62 жыл бұрын
@@yokelengleng is that a euphemism to say he must be quite senior in age?
@yokelengleng2 жыл бұрын
@@billlee6 yes, because I don't know the correct euphemism
@HanzLew4 жыл бұрын
馬來西亞歡迎托哥光臨!
@arianawangzhijun94 Жыл бұрын
身边有好多马来西亚华人朋友,人真的真的超nice,都是善良真诚的人。很赞。
@hokwang264 Жыл бұрын
In fact , mandarin language in Malaysia and Singapore were less emphasis also it able give up learn madarin in high school . When I was 16 in 2019 , some elite classes were started give up learn mandarin and the teachers asked them why they give up to countinue learn mandarin , those student said mandarin was hard to master it so they decided to stop learn mandarin . When I heard , I started have same thoughts to give up learn mandarin language 其实在马来西亚和新加坡对华语没那么重视甚至可以在中学放弃学华语。当我16岁在2019年的时候很多“前面班”的学生开始放弃学华文当然华语老师都有问他们为什么放弃学华语,他们说华语太难不想学。这让我感到惊讶连我都有想放弃学华语的想法
I’m a Chinese studying in Korea and I got a Malaysia friend usually we talked in Chinese but she’s so “southern “ accent hhhh though we get along well with each❤️
@@fromoncetotwice not really.Its common knowledge that the Beijing Mandarin is the most standard and refined of all the accents not your southern accent..
@fromoncetotwice2 жыл бұрын
@@calvin9829 In terms of global recognition, Beijing accent is inferior to Taiwanese accent.
@calvin98292 жыл бұрын
@@fromoncetotwice keep being in denial lmao.Most countries don't even recognize your little Taiwan.Plus the whiny taiwanese accent makes your guys sound effeminate and gay like you little boy😂
@kevinj22613 жыл бұрын
对于到新加坡旅游的同学,我有两个小小的建议 1. 主动和对方说英语,除非本地人体贴的转换成华语和你对话。 2. 和本地人交谈时多点赞美, like ,"wah, 我好羡慕你们新加坡人啊..." 你毫无金钱损失,却避免了很多白眼。
@user-kl5rp1tp5i Жыл бұрын
我英文不好啊
@hinskang16204 жыл бұрын
我也一直好好奇這個題材!多謝托哥!
@amyyap28384 жыл бұрын
我是新加坡人。。我会说英文和中文。。读和写都没问题。我个人认为华人说自己不会中文,其实是一种借口,是不求上进的表现。我听得懂潮州,福建话,粤语。现在还在学习粤语,马来语。 要我打繁體字都不是問題。主要看想不想學。我坦白說一句,大多新加坡人中文不強,英文也勉強可以。這是我的觀察。 有時後我看到這類的訪問,感到很羞愧。因為說的是 Singlish,中文也實在太差。 To be honest, I’m not proud to be a singaporean. We are not good in either language. But our ego is sky-high and most refuse to improve. They are just happy to speak Singlish and unwilling to learn Chinese. It’s a disgrace.
Im a quadlingual.....sometimes I felt stuck to switch to other language in an instant. Moreover I will find it difficult to get my speech fully adhere into 1 single language. I tend to use other language to substitute once I found myself unable to pronounce it correctly .
@billlee62 жыл бұрын
this is a problem of someone who is very multilingual, when you speak to audiences who are not like you.
@SuccessforLifester4 жыл бұрын
I like that you also interview auntie and uncle. Too many KZbinrs are just involving people of the young age group in interviews
Thanks for sharing. 当两个新加坡华人碰面时 (尤其较多出现的情况是年轻人),通常会以英语沟通比较多。但若两个马来西亚华人碰面时,他们一般是会用华语或方言而几乎不会或很少会以英语来沟通的(这也是其中一个可以很容易分别出来到底他们是马来西亚华人或新加坡华人的方法之一)。至于为什么会这样呢?我想其中一个可能的原因是因为马来西亚的华人在面对自己华人文化和语言上会带有较明显或强烈的文化使命感。相信我们都知道在马来西亚过去的政治上,华人一直有面对被不公平对待,被边缘化及被忽略的经历。若不是有许多热爱华教和捍卫华人文化的领袖们和人民经过不断奋斗和努力争取的话,我想今天的马来西亚很可能就已经变成了另一个印尼,也就是华人和华人文化已经被完全同化了。这是一件很可怕和可惜的事情。也因此,我们看见马来西亚的华人在保存自己文化传统和语言方面一般会比新加坡的华人特别是年轻一代的在态度上会有所不同。简单来说就是,因马来西亚政治历史过去政府对华人采取各种不利的政策而产生了所谓的民族文化【危机感】。既然知道自己能拥有今天的一切其实是得来非常不易的,也因此就会更好好珍惜之而不会轻易放弃,想要好好去保护甚至有时想要去捍卫,而且会带有一种想要继续传承下去的一种意愿和使命感。而有关学习华文和讲华语(甚至包括华人的各种方言等)也就自自然然而成为了华人与华人之间彼此互相沟通甚至是传承给下一代使用的语言。除非双方或其中一方真的不会讲华语或方言而只会讲英语或马来语。要不然,一般上你是不会看到两个马来西亚华人在碰面时不讲华语或用华人方言来沟通的。这也就是为何在视频里面你所访问的那位马来西亚华人会和你说当马来西亚人一旦见到马来西亚人(指华人而言)时一定会“自动“switch to 讲华语就是这个原因。
Like I ever worked part time at a Chinese restaurant in Melbourne before being a multi language candidate you have to instant response to Cantonese speakers, mandarin and sometimes hokkien/minan speakers, and of course English. Sometimes feel like your brain mixed up with too much information because you just take orders with different language and you have to change to another language again, so sometimes I would rather just speak in English.
@limmingming4022 Жыл бұрын
are u from Malaysia
@pagongtagi61242 жыл бұрын
That's fantastic mate. cheers from Malaysia.
@sydneyliu48252 жыл бұрын
最後那個部分好有趣😂 應該說不同語言有時候就會「搭配」一點點不同的文化吧,例如對話方式
@annyapyc5683 Жыл бұрын
这才热闹有趣👍
@Lu5ck4 жыл бұрын
A little explanation of the historical preference of using 华 instead of 中 to describe the language. It all come down to how the previous generations of chinese identify themselves in Singapore. The chinese simply identify themselves as 华人 therefore it become natural to use 华 to describe the language aka 华文. 中文 has a loose relationship with the word 中国人. Chinese as a language has always been a somewhat relationship based where words are made based on other words. For example 淼 which made up of 3 水 has a meaning related to water.
@stayprepared23882 ай бұрын
makes it very clear that Singaporeans will not be mistaken they are from China so when travel anywhere else in the world. will be safe
@karimsonglin88414 жыл бұрын
My bf was born and raised in Singapore and he can speak mandarine super fluently although with broken grammar and weird wording (after he met me tho). I guess i fell for him for both his English accent and mandarin accent the first time we met lol
The Fried Oyster Omelette from the 47 stall at Newton Circle Hawker but Char Kueh Tiaw have better else where. Do check it out Airport Road Hawker for their Cendol, Wanton Mee, Char Kueh Tiaw and many many nice local food.
What an unusual and wonderful video about Singapore! This is so much better than the usual touristy videos that foreigners make about Singapore. I love it! Regarding what we speak in Singapore. I think we speak English by default because, firstly, we all had at least ten years of education in English. Secondly, we do not presume that you understand and speak Mandarin just because you look ethically Chinese. And lastly, for some of us, our English is really much better than our Mandarin. Regarding urban planning. If you are interested, there are galleries / museums in Singapore that are dedicated to documenting the history of urban development and planning in Singapore. You can check out the Singapore City Gallery at the Urban Development Board, the HDB Gallery, and Singapore Mobility Gallery at the Land Transport Authority. Hope you enjoy them!
@user-bk1uo3jt7k3 жыл бұрын
我記得10多年看過一部新加坡電影,應該是叫“小孩不笨”,裡面有個老師一直強調學華語的重要
@jeckson38743 жыл бұрын
像馬來人一直強調馬來文很重要。
@egemix8942 жыл бұрын
"不懂華文 你甚至不知道自己失去的是什麼"
@jasonchong90313 жыл бұрын
In Singapore, Depends on your family, if they speak Chinese, the kids will practise and learn more of it.
I remember that at the first time I arrived in Singapore, the cab driver asked me where I wanted to go in 5 languages/dialects quickly lol
@jiunnkwanglim35894 жыл бұрын
Hey Torres, next time when you visit Singapore, could you also come in to Malaysia, Johor Bahru, just need to cross a bridge haha, and also do a fans meeting when you come in XD
My personal view is that some people can still joke around and act proud when they can't speak Chinese I don't mean the minority who are really trying to improve even foreigners speak more fluent mandarin as I saw from several international variety programs it's a matter of whether your willing to learn. I feel that speaking your own mother tongue or dialect with family and relatives, while speaking English with acquaintances is a good balance
@ocworkbench Жыл бұрын
It is not difficult to pick up speaking a language (if you havr the environment). Being able to read and write is the difficult part.
@MitterChen244 жыл бұрын
If u come to Malaysia u will get mind blowing for our mixture languages :)
The Speak Mandarin Campaign wasn’t to encourage Chinese Singaporeans to speak Mandarin in and of itself, it was to dilute the use of other Chinese dialects (like Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, etc.) and promote the use of Mandarin instead because it’s more economically strategic (for ties/trade with China, Taiwan etc.). To be globally intelligible was a primary aim of the state’s language policy, hence having English as the medium of instruction (and lingua franca) and preference of Mandarin OVER dialects.
@annyapyc5683 Жыл бұрын
🙏🙏🙏🙏
@RockENZOwg9 ай бұрын
thanks for the explanation
@harrybeta2 жыл бұрын
很喜歡這種多元文化的感覺,噢太讚了
@user-fc2pq7eo6f4 жыл бұрын
這視頻太牛了,讓我終於知道炒貴雕到底是什麼意思了,原來是原意是炒粿條
@bowlampar4 жыл бұрын
Mostly 'Singlish' spoken people. Mixture of simple english with various local ethnic languages like Bahasa, Manderian, Tamil, Chinese dialects etc...
@pashaw83803 жыл бұрын
True. The first guy for example, says he has trouble speaking Chinese, though he speaks a heavy Chinese accented English with rather Chinese oriented grammar. What I find curious is how can you be fluent in a language if you speak a language mixed with many other languages? I still don't get it. I was in Singapore a few years ago and I had trouble understanding their English, and English is pretty much my native tongue as I grew up speaking both Mandarin and English in the States.
@bowlampar2 жыл бұрын
@@pashaw8380how can you be fluent in ''English'' language if you speak it mixed with many other languages? Well actually It is called Sing-lish , not English! 🤭🤭 BTW, nobody can speak 'Chinese' except speak Mandarin , or various Chinese dialects eg: Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, etc....
@ElsaPingPing_qiaolinglog4 жыл бұрын
很棒的調查喔!下次一起吃黑白蘿蔔糕
@zhenjiantomwang07103 жыл бұрын
i am actually going to singapore next month! excited! any food or places suggestions?
@wong5173 жыл бұрын
larsa,
@leon6922114 жыл бұрын
2:38 這阿姨的聲音超可愛😆😆
@lhc39344 жыл бұрын
Any plans to collaborate with other youtubers? Like tiffwithmi in Singapore
@mike66294 жыл бұрын
I like your channel, I have subscribed. Thank you !
The Malaysian student was wrong to say English is not important in Malaysia. People in big cities such as KL tend to use English more like in Singapore but they also have good command of their mother tongue. Moreover, majority private companies and also our Universities (both public and private) use English as the language of instruction!
@sjpanfeng6 ай бұрын
you are right, in klang valley area english is more common than malay between different race, he probably not from klang valley
@IndianPrinceAdi4 жыл бұрын
中文講得還不錯 !希望有一天我們可以一起合作拍影片!❤️🤩
@tianqiao13104 жыл бұрын
I think Torres is native chinese speaker
@ccw56524 жыл бұрын
Isn't he from Hong Kong?
@hsu4714 жыл бұрын
上次看托哥是4年前了 好像是做搭訕的影片 這次又再youtube看到 訂閱了
@christinesung88844 жыл бұрын
Hi from Singapore 😬 I speak both English and Chinese at home. I speak English to my siblings while Mix of English and Chinese to my parents. To be honest, most Singaporeans speak more English which to be honest isn't a very good thing as the mother tongue is being forgotten... 嗨 😅 我也是新加坡人。从小只在学校学母语,在家里用英文比较多。我是还能写与读华文字但不是每一个字 😬 很多新加坡华侨是比较喜欢用英文沟通,所以很多人是少用中文
haha, I studied Urban Planning in Singapore and worked as an Urban Planner in Hong Kong before. Will you still take UP as your career? or a full time youtuber ?
@2seraya4 жыл бұрын
The speak Mandarin campaign is to get Chinese Singaporean off dialects and onto Mandarin
@YuSooKey4 жыл бұрын
CCP promoted. Speak the dialects too. Don't let government take away people's heritage.
@vincent74734 жыл бұрын
So hilarious when speaking English in a French way!
@vanxz75113 жыл бұрын
八九十年代时候新加坡拍了很多电视剧,都是中文的啊。 人在旅途,莲花争霸,还挺好看的
@hanzhewang74114 жыл бұрын
最后一段太逗啦哈哈哈
@angelho104 жыл бұрын
JJ Lin is a Singaporean ❤️
@user-ic5sc8sg2t2 жыл бұрын
yes I like Lin Junjie very much
@lees73404 жыл бұрын
The speak Chinese campaign was to encourage them to speak Mandarin instead of Chinese dialects, but English has always been the language that the government pushes as the elitists’ language.
@missdaisy81233 жыл бұрын
看来看去还是托哥的视频有意思,订阅了
@delphinegoh95983 жыл бұрын
Well, he didn't speak to enough parties. 我敢直言我是土生土长的道地新加坡人群,精通英语和华语but I do know Chinese language is deemed as hard to learn among the young generation and I must say Chinese is indeed the hardest to grasp, with all the different pitches, han yu pin yjn and not to mention the strokes. With a stroke, it could mean the world of a difference in a word. So for those who truly mastered the language in both written and spoken, we ought to be proud .
You should visit Penang, where the Best Char Koay Teow is.
@denniswoo93344 жыл бұрын
I think they started in 80’, by the way book is in华文, languages is mandarin or 华語
@yanalovekitty Жыл бұрын
Singapore national language is Malay, that’s why our national anthem is in Malay.
@johnlin44944 жыл бұрын
from TW,小時候有一陣子台灣超流行廣東話,很多同學多少會說一點。 現在好少聽到廣東話,不知道為什麼覺得親切呢!
@egemix8942 жыл бұрын
1990~2000初頭 香港是台灣的潮流輸出者阿 後來變日本與美國 後來韓國
@markoh2104 жыл бұрын
访问几个人就说新加坡人不会讲华语。sample size a bit too small and maybe selective just to suit your title.
@simonrock84114 жыл бұрын
新加坡確實是這樣!英語是官方語言,中文不是
@markoh2104 жыл бұрын
@@simonrock8411 谁跟你讲华语不是新加坡官方语言。
@phu2894 жыл бұрын
你会这句snglish wo men(华語) partor(福建 )always(英語) Makan (马耒語)at(英语 kopitiam (福建)one 冈路看到的
@markoh2104 жыл бұрын
@@phu289 catch no ball what you trying to emphasize here. I disagree with this Vid as it is misleading to the world that Singaporean Chinese don't understanding Chinese. I can confidently said that at least 70% people here understand Chinese while in Malaysia only 20 plus % understand Chinese.
@phu2894 жыл бұрын
how can u catch no ball 我们wo men(华語) 拍拖partor(福建 ) 时常always(英語) 吃Makan (马耒語) 在at(英语) 咖啡店 kopitiam (福建) one的 冈路看到的
you are not alone, when i speak to people from UK, Australians, NZ.... I use british english accent for e.g can't = kant If I speak to canadians or americans I will speak american english e.g can't = kent if i speak to Taiwanese I will follow their accent and even their usual phrases, and when I speak Malay I will speak really like a Malay person. I will only use Malaysian Chinese accent when I am with my family and close friends. I would never do it when i am on camera because malaysian chinese accent is really sometimes ugly to your ear drums.
@waynedarren Жыл бұрын
Stop being insecure
@tammylo63764 жыл бұрын
哈哈哈哈哈哈哈 托哥你的炒果條真的幾夠力很多下噢 I will try then
@yogahale53204 жыл бұрын
那个几够力的大马小哥好可爱
@hgchaser4 жыл бұрын
Oh my goodness.... Singaporean don’t eat at Newton. It’s nowhere near the best food. Go explore more
@quennezy4 жыл бұрын
Exactly! How dare he proclaim No.47 was the best char kuey teow!
@pernbent68163 жыл бұрын
nelarowana aro basically he is an outsider, most outsiders like tourist will think that Newton is the best because it’s very famous
@akav68602 жыл бұрын
我是觉得,有一种东西叫亲切感,归属感 比如你讲中文,我也讲中文,天然就有一种亲切的感觉
@stayprepared23882 ай бұрын
makes it very clear that Singaporeans will not be mistaken they are from China so when travel anywhere else in the world. will be safe