Production and evaluation of sociolinguistic variation in Mandarin Chinese among children in Singapore

Abstract

Abstract Singapore Mandarin is traditionally characterized by non-standard features arising from southern Chinese dialect influence. However, as English expands as a home language in Singapore, children’s Mandarin exposure is increasingly limited to formal school settings. The situation is further complicated by rising immigration from Mainland China and the presence of Mainland teachers in the education sector. This study investigates how local and expatriate children in Singapore acquire and evaluate Mandarin variation in this complex landscape. Expatriates attending international schools are found to orient towards Mainland varieties, while expatriates in local schools acquire more local usage patterns, but do not demonstrate sociolinguistic knowledge comparable to Singaporean peers. These findings suggest that transnational migration and language shift are prompting changes in Singapore Mandarin.

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