Living overseas: language creep

No, not a lecherous male tutor.. but an observation on native language once you live abroad...

In London I had informal classes (usually involving coffee and cake!) with a Japanese teacher, who told me to my surprise that since moving to the UK, she'd forgotten some aspects of her native Japanese language. She said that sometimes when speaking to friends and family on the phone, she had to pause to remember technical words in her own mother tongue. She had been living in Europe for around 15 years, and I guess if you use a completely different language daily for that length of time, there is a chance that even the tongue you learnt from childhood could get rusty.

So I thought.

In fact, it can happen a lot faster!

I have now been in Singapore for 13 months, and my British English is already changing. This might sound even stranger, as (unlike say Japan or Thailand) Singapore is supposedly an English-speaking country.

In actual fact, Singapore is not really an English-speaking country. Top Execs will speak British or American English, but most people speak 'Singlish'. Singlish is basically Chinese using English words, with a strong accent and swallowed endings. So the grammar constructions (if my junior Mandarin serves me well!) are Chinese: it's not English as we know it.

In Singlish, you drop particles and tenses; so whereas in British English you might say "Actually, you can stop outside the building, that's OK." (Adding particles etc is more polite to us British!)

In Singlish you would say: "Outsite, can."

"Can you take me toToa Payoh?" is "Toa Payoh, can? Canort?"

Or "I've become too old to do that martial arts move" is "Too ol alre-dee."

A lot of (even University level) Singaporeans drop the tenses in written English. You'll see things like 'you will have pursue your dreams'. And the general lack of 'd' can considerably change the meaning of a sentence. One example was an expensive sign on a posh restaurant door stating: Restricted Access. Keep Close at All Times.

I am getting used to the Chinese constructions but still occasionally have a tough time with the accent.

In return, people here seem to have difficulty understanding my British accent - perhaps because American English is more recognisable - especially from TV and movies? This island was once a British colony, but don't forget most people from that generation will have long passed away. Today it's a different ball-game. (Unfortunately most people don't understand any of my meagre mainland-style Chinese either.. it can be tough!)

Add to this the fact that most of my social group here are Asians with English as a second language, and I guess I have just started to adapt so that my English is more universally comprehensible. Though not necessarily correct!

I have even started using the 'can' thing at work,"Thursday afternoon, can?" And it's much easier to omit particles for something more substantial:

British English: "I have been here for a year."
Easier English: "I have been here one year." (Not incorrect, but awkward British English!)

These incremental changes are becoming ever easier, and I now find myself hesitating for proper grammar and having the check dictionary spelling when writing (which is part of my job, as well as for fun blogs like this!)

So I am now starting to see exactly what my Japanese Sensei was getting at. If I stay here for another 14 years... I wonder!