Phonology

Because the focus of this volume is on features that are different from the standard varieties, this discussion of the phonology of Singapore English, as well as the later discussion of its morphology/syntax, is restricted mainly to features of CollSgE. Lim (forthcoming) is a major treatment of various aspects of Singapore English and the discussion of reduplication and discourse particles draws on Wee’s contribution to this source. In the case of CollSgE phonology, most of the discussion is based on Bao (1998), which provides a comprehensive survey of the relevant works.

In some of these works, the authors refer to the variety they are concerned with as ‘Singapore English’; in others, the reference is to ‘English in Malaysia and Singapore’. In order to better bring out the distinctive properties of CollSgE, these authors also often provide descriptive contrasts with RP (Received Pronunciation). This decision, it must be stressed, is purely intended to facilitate the description of CollSgE; it is conceptually a separate issue from the more controversial one of whether CollSgE can in fact be analyzed as an autonomous linguistic system.

In what follows, I shall simply use ‘CollSgE’. I also continue the contrast with RP when describing the various properties of CollSgE.