A/P Tan Chee Lay: Keeping Dialects Alive as a Living Cultural Asset

In a commentary published in Lianhe Zaobao, Associate Professor Tan Chee Lay from the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, reflects on the recent easing of restrictions on dialect content in films and pay television, and what this could mean for language, culture and identity in Singapore.

A/P Tan argues that dialects should not be viewed merely as cultural “heritage” to be preserved, but as a living cultural asset that continues to carry meaning, emotion and value across generations. He notes that dialects often convey nuances, expressions, kinship terms and cultural references that Mandarin or English may not fully capture, giving them a distinctive emotional resonance.

He believes that greater exposure to dialects through films and television is unlikely to undermine Mandarin learning. Instead, it could encourage younger Singaporeans to take a greater interest in their cultural roots, strengthen intergenerational connections and potentially reinforce their engagement with Chinese language and culture more broadly.

A/P Tan also sees the policy change as an opportunity for local filmmakers and content creators to tell more authentic Singapore stories using the languages that naturally fit their characters and settings.

He adds, however, that media liberalisation alone will not be enough to sustain dialects in the long term. More systematic efforts, such as oral history initiatives, community programmes, intergenerational engagement and opportunities for young people to encounter dialects as part of cultural learning, could help ensure that dialects remain a living part of Singapore’s cultural landscape.

Read the original article here.