Language, like many other aspects of culture, continually evolves over time and in response to the needs and landscapes of an era. Singapore, too, has undergone multiple linguistic shifts over the years. Wang Gungwu, in his chapter “Before Nation: Chinese Peranakan,” suggested that languages in early Singapore were pre-national – they observed no national borders.

Eventually, however, Malay became the language of communication in the Malay Archipelago, and was used by individuals independent of their country of origin.

Before Nation-state

An indicator of such language change was in how Singapore was known by many names before adopting the moniker of Lion City. “I was surprised and fascinated by the former names of Singapore such as “Po Luo Chung”, “Pulau Ujong”, “Tung-Ya-Men”, “Temasek”, “Singapura”, et cetera,” shares Dr. Phyllis G. L. Chew, a former professor at the National Institute of Education.

Observing this phenomenon spurred her to embark on research surrounding language and identities in early Singapore. “[My] instincts told me [that] there must be layers of stories behind such colourful names, especially as what was sold to us in our history textbooks were the fact that we were a deserted island until the British “found” us.”

Evolution of Baba Malay

In particular relation to the Straits Chinese, Dr. Azhar Ibrahim, a lecturer at the Department of Malay Studies at National University of Singapore, observed that the language used by the Peranakan community played a role in various significant contributions to the intellectual culture that had developed in Southeast Asia.

“I often encounter the contributions of the Peranakan Chinese in the realms of press, literature, and politics. In the late 19th and early 20th century, syair (rhymed narrative poem) has been one genre that was also a favourite medium of expression. Peranakan writers were no exception. Reading through the syair written by Peranakan writers could provide insights into the poetics and ideational dynamics within the community, and their relations with the larger context of the Malay world.”

Singapore has thus experienced multiple shifts in the local landscape of language, ranging from the use of Bazaar Malay and dialects as lingua franca, to the widespread push to use English in the post-independence era. This push has brought new challenges to preserving the linguistic heritage of the Peranakans.

Preserving the culture through language

Despite the prominence of the language in influencing early Singapore identity and culture, this is no longer the case today as its usage continues to dwindle amongst the increased use of English today. Addressing this urgent need to document and preserve these elements are academics like Asst. Prof Nala H. Lee and authors like Kenneth Y. K. Chan.

“I have always been drawn as a researcher to the topic of language endangerment, given its pressing nature and the magnitude of its consequences,” shares Asst. Prof Lee of the Linguistics Department at the National University of Singapore. Responsible for seminal works like a treatise on grammar of Baba Malay, her work in the field fulfils a personal purpose as well; “as a Peranakan, the more I learn about Baba Malay, the more I find myself connected to my heritage.”

Similarly, Chan embraced the task of creating accessible reading materials for new Baba Malay learners in his community. “Learners of Baba Malay were faced with the daunting task of finding resources to practise their newly acquired language. Without sufficient resources or avenues to use the language, the endangered Baba language would soon be lost,” explained Kenneth Y. K. Chan, author of the book Chrita-Chrita Baba.

Written as a compilation of short stories, his book captures various elements of not only Baba Malay, but also various traditions, folklore, rituals, and beliefs that were once commonplace to any Peranakan person. “[The book] was written in hopes that it would serve as a resource for learners and also in hopes that others would come forward to publish other works in Baba.”

Learn more from these speakers

The four individuals featured in this article will be sharing more over a series of talks organised by NUS Baba House from 9 September to 6 October 2020. The talks will cover a range of topics under the theme Dialects & Dialogues: Languages and Identities Before the Nation-state and will be held on Zoom to allow active audience participation.

To register for the talks and read their synopses, please visit: https://dialectsanddialogues.peatix.com/