别破坏而是增强我们的母语体制[^0]

<英文版 English Version>


I refer to the letter, “Don’t restrict students’ second-language choice” by Mdm Tang Siew Ngoh (The Straits Times 31/Dec/2005).

笔者本文是为回应唐女士（Mdm Tang Siew Ngoh）刊于英文海峡时报言论版的信，“别限制学生们的第二语文选择” (The Straits Times 31/Dec/2005)，而写。[^1]


Mdm Tang had raised a few questions which I would like to share my thoughts on them.

唐女士提出了几个问题，笔者想谈谈对它们的想法。


Firstly, on her request to Ministry of Education (MOE) not to restrict students’ second-language choice. I think we should look at the full picture in order to understand the fact. That is, since late 1960s, MOE have implemented the Bilingual Policy which forces everyone, regardless what languages they speak at home, to study English and (Ethnic) Mother Tongues in our school system. All Singaporeans, although the majority of them were non-English speakers in the old days, were open-minded and supportive of the policy because it has guaranteed a fair and win-win result for all.

首先，关于她请求教育部别限制学生们选择第二语文的事。笔者认为我们应该看看事情的全部事实才能明白真相。那就是，从1960代末开始，教育部就在我们的学校体制中实行了强制每个人，无论他们在家中讲的是什么语言，必须学英文及（族群）母语的双语教育政策。所有新加坡人，虽然他们大多数在旧时日都不是讲英语者，却能思想开通和积极支持这个政策，因为它保证大家能获得一个公平和双赢的结果。


However, the request by people like Mdm Tang is in fact trying to change this policy to, continue forcing everyone to study English (with higher standard???, and harsh punishments for failure???) but not our own Mother Tongues.Why should fair-minded Singaporeans agree to such an un-fair change which will only result in a win-lost situation in long run? Instead, we should request for an amendment of our Constitution to protect our Bilingual Policy and the effectiveness of Mother Tongues Education.

然而，像唐女士这类人士的请求事实上是在尝试把这个政策改为，继续强制每个人学英文（而且程度更高？？？及对失败者给予更严苛的惩罚？？？）但却不强制学我们的母语。为什么具有公平思想的新加坡人要同意如此不公平的改变以及长远来说只会造成一方赢一方输的结果呢？相反的，我们应该请求修改我国的宪法来保护我们的双语政策及母语教育的有效性。


Secondly, Mdm Tang has questioned the effectiveness of learning Mandarin to transmit culture. Here, again, we should look at another fact. That is, we have reduced our Mother Tongues standard to second language level or lower (in the case of Chinese B), and teach them as a single subject in all schools for most students up to secondary four/five or junior college level only. With so little resources given, any fair-minded Singaporeans would know that, they must help to enhance, not spoil, the learning of Mother Tongues in order for them to be effective in transmitting cultures.

其次，唐女士质疑通过学华文华语来传输文化的有效性。在此，同样的，我们应该看看另一个事实。那就是，我们已经把所有母语的程度缩减至第二语言的水平或更低（比如在华文B的情况），及在所有学校中把母语当作单科的学习项目让大多数的学生仅仅学习至中四/中五或高中的程度。在如此稀少资源给予的情况下，任何具有公平思想的新加坡人将会知道，他们必须帮助增强，不是破坏，所有母语的学习以便让它们能够有效的传输文化。


Thirdly, Mdm Tang has pointed out that The Speak Mandarin Campaign has marginalised older dialect speakers and hindered the inter-generational transmission of culture. The truth about The Speak Mandarin Campaign as revealed in 1979 has always been about three languages. That is, choose English and Mandarin and let go Dialects, or, choose English and Dialects and let go Mandarin. In both cases, either Mandarin or Dialects will demise gradually after the choice is made.

其三，唐女士指出讲华语运动已经边缘化了较老的讲方言者及阻碍了（祖孙）两代人之间的文化传输。关于讲华语运动的事实从1979年透露至今就一直是关于3种语言的问题。那就是，选择英语和华语而放弃方言，或，选择英语和方言而放弃华语。在这两种情况中，不是华语就是方言（但不会是英语[^2]）将在选择决定后逐渐衰亡。


Therefore the fact since 1979 is, in order to make room for English and ease the learning of Mandarin, we have decided to let go Dialects. The subsequent demise of Dialects is therefore due to the combine responsibility of English and Mandarin.

所以事实从1979年以来就是，为了腾出空间给英文英语及让华文华语的学习较轻松，我们决定放弃方言。因此方言随后的衰亡是英语及华语该共同承担的责任。


Unfortunately, the painful sacrifice by Chinese to let go their Dialects did not encourage their young to concentrate on Mandarin for long, more than 50% of young parents have shifted to use English at home in recent years. Hence, large number of Dialect-Mandarin speaking grandparents have to learn English if they want to have a proper chit-chat with their grandchildren. Therefore it is very un-fair and disgraceful for us to blame the failure of inter-generational transmission of culture solely on The Speak Mandarin Campaign.

不幸的是，华族痛苦牺牲方言的举动并没有鼓励他们的年轻一代长久集中注重华语，近年来已经有超过50％的年轻父母转而以英语做为家庭用语。因此，大量讲方言-华语的祖父母们如果要和他们的孙子们好好的聊天就必须学英语。所以我们把（祖孙）两代人之间的文化传输的失败完全归咎于讲华语运动是非常不公平及可耻的行为。


Fourthly, Mdm Tang has questioned whether the learning of one’s mother tongue the only way to acquire a ‘cultural ballast’ (Asian values) to counteract the Western ‘decadence’ that comes with the use of the English language?

其四，唐女士质疑是否学习自身的母语是获取一个“文化积淀”（亚洲价值观）来抵消使用英语所带来的西方“颓废文化”的唯一方法？


The answer to this question is always very clear. In bilingual policy, we enforce everyone to learn English (not any other foreign language) as common language and allow most of its Western influences on Singaporeans. We also enforce everyone to learn their own Mother Tongue (not any other race’s language) so as to ensure our traditional multi-racial cultures and Asian values will have fair chances to remain flourish and influences on Singaporeans.

这个问题的答案一直都非常清楚。在双语政策中，我们强制每个人学英语（不是任何其他的外国语言）为共同语及允许它带来的大部份西方文化影响新加坡人。我们也强制每个人学习他们本身的母语（不是任何其他种族的语言）以便确保我们传统的多元种族文化和亚洲价值观将会有公平的机会保持繁荣昌盛及对新加坡人民的影响。

Of course, to further enhance inter-racial harmony, besides mainly using English as common language for all races, we also encourage Singaporeans to learn other race’s language as third language.

当然，为了进一步增强种族间的和谐，除了主要使用英文做为各族的共同语之外，我们也鼓励新加坡人把其他种族的语言当着第三语言来学习。


Fifthly, Mdm Tang has rightly pointed out that, the equation of Western values with ‘decadence’ is not entirely defensible. For this issue, I think we should look at a vivid fact which has always existed but overlooked by many people. That is: whether Western cultures or values contain ‘decadence’ or not, our bilingual policy will still embrace English as a common and commercial language.

其五，唐女士正确的指出，把西方价值观与“颓废文化”联系的公式是无法完全维护的（论点）。对于这个问题，我想我们应该看看一个一直存在却被许多人忽视的明显事实。那就是，无论西方文化或价值观是否含有“颓废成份”，我们的双语政策将依旧会拥抱英文英语为共同语及商用语言。


In other words, although we have talked about the ‘decadence’ issue of the West for many years (which we seldom do so now), but we have never use it as an excuse to shut out or marginalise English.

换句话说，虽然我们已经谈论西方的“颓废文化”问题很多年（而现在我们很少如此做了），但是我们从来未曾应用它做为一个借口来排除或边缘化英文英语。

And that shows the true spirit of our bilingual policy. We will embrace, tolerate and sometimes criticise the short comings of English and Mother Tongues for good cause, but we will never use those short comings or other excuses to try shutting out or marginalised any of the two languages.

而那正显示了我们双语政策的真实精神。我们将拥抱，容忍英语和母语及不时对它们的不足之处提出善意的批评，但是我们将 决 绝不应用那些不足之处或其他的借口来尝试排除或边缘化这两种语言中的任何一种。


It is therefore always a regret to read forum letters written by some Singaporeans in local newspapers, whose intentions seem to try finding out all sorts of excuses to shut out or marginalise our Mother Tongues.

因此每当读到一些新加坡人在本地报章言论版上所写的信，他们的目的似乎是在尝试找出各种借口来排除或边缘化母语时，总是叫人感到十分遗憾。


Lastly, Mdm Tang was right to point out that religion plays a part in shaping one’s moral values. But for any religion like her Christian belief to be effective and able to last for a very long period of time, an important factor is the existence of a proper religion system and tradition to support it.

最后，唐女士正确的指出宗教在塑造一个人的道德价值观时扮演了一定的角色。但是任何宗教要像她的基督教信仰一样有效及能够长久维持，一个重要的因素是（必须）存在一个健全的宗教体制和传统来支持它。


Similarly, for long term consideration, the survival of our Mother Tongues will also require a proper system and tradition to support it. Bilingual policy is the last proper system we have for Mother Tongues. It is also the last system for those children who are only or mainly taught to speak English instead of the traditional way of learning Mother Tongues at home.

同样的，从长远考虑而言，我们所有母语的生存也需要一个健全的体制和传统来支持它们。双语政策是我们能给予母语的最后一个健全的（学习与传播的）体制。它也是那些在家中只被教导或主要被教导讲英语而不是跟随传统方法学母语的小孩子们的最后一个（学习母语的健全）体制。


Therefore, all fair-minded Singaporeans must be aware not to allow anybody (be it a MP, an elite or a normal citizen), trying to use any excuses to marginalise the effectiveness of our Mother Tongues education or contemptuously declared our Mother Tongues as sacred cows waited to be slaughtered.

因此，所有具有公平思想的新加坡人必须意识到不能允许任何人（无论是议员，精英份子或普通国民），尝试应用各种借口来边缘化母语教育的有效学习或轻蔑的宣称我们所有的母语（及它们仅存的传习体制）是有待屠宰的圣牛。



以下为本文的注解(Ref):