Singlish is often seen as a defining part of Singapore's identity. From "lah" and "lor" to uniquely local phrases, it weaves its way through conversations across homes, schools, and workplaces.

But is the Singlish we speak today the same as the one our grandparents grew up with?

Linguists say the language has been evolving for decades, shaped by changing education policies, shifting language preferences, and the gradual decline of dialect use in Singapore. As older expressions disappear and new ones emerge, some features of traditional Singlish may already be fading away.

So what exactly has changed? Are younger Singaporeans losing parts of a linguistic heritage, or is this simply the natural evolution of a living language?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Tan Ying Ying, Associate Professor of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies at the Nanyang Technological University, to find out more. 

 

The Agenda: From Ah Gong to Gen Z, can you still speak your grandparents' Singlish?

Singlish is often seen as a defining part of Singapore's identity. From "lah" and "lor" to uniquely local phrases, it weaves its way through conversations across homes, schools, and workplaces.
But is the Singlish we speak today the same as the one our grandparents grew up with?
Linguists say the language has been evolving for decades, shaped by changing education policies, shifting language preferences, and the gradual decline of dialect use in Singapore. As older expressions disappear and new ones emerge, some features of traditional Singlish may already be fading away.
So what exactly has changed? Are younger Singaporeans losing parts of a linguistic heritage, or is this simply the natural evolution of a living language?
On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Tan Ying Ying, Associate Professor of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies at the Nanyang Technological University, to find out more.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Agenda: From Ah Gong to Gen Z, can you still speak your grandparents' Singlish?

Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong is your 4–8pm drive companion,

Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong is your 4–8pm drive companion, guiding you through the day’s biggest headlines, trending conversations and the issues shaping Singapore and the world.

From news and current affairs to lifestyle insights and generational perspectives, the show helps you make sense of what’s happening — with clarity, context and a touch of personality.

Whether you’re catching up after a long day or tuning in on the move, Your Way Home keeps you informed, engaged and connected — all the way home.

And she closes the day with a song that says it all.

Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong is your 4&ndash;8pm drive companion, guiding you through the day&rsquo;s biggest headlines, trending conversations and the issues shaping Singapore and the world.
From news and current affairs to lifestyle insights and generational perspectives, the show helps you make sense of what&rsquo;s happening &mdash; with clarity, context and a touch of personality.
Whether you&rsquo;re catching up after a long day or tuning in on the move, Your Way Home keeps you informed, engaged and connected &mdash; all the way home.
And she closes the day with a song that says it all.