Chinese, TEOCHEW ARE LANGUAGES, NOT Accents
Culturally, dialects are variants of a second language, of which when spoken by different pronunciation speakers, would still be socially coherent. American, British and American English can be considered dialects of English, because speakers of these dialects may sound unique, but also can comprehend one another.
Hokkien and Cantonese listeners are not in the same boat. In reality, Hokkien and Cantonese belong to different language people. Labelling these cultures “dialects” cements their reputation as a “non- speech”.
Before Singapore gained freedom, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese, were the three most commonly used language of the Chinese people. Due to the president’s speech policies, Mandarin was made to become the native language of the Chinese.
The Speak Mandarin Campaign, launched in 1979, also had an significant role to play in speeding up their destruction. The Speak Mandarin campaign’s initial stage aimed to educate parents and grandparents about using Mandarin instead of Taiwanese “dialects.”
Under the Free- To- Air Television and Radio Program Codes, it is stated that all Foreign schemes, except musicals or other programs especially approved, must be in Mandarin. If the environment allows for the use of exceptions and are sparingly used, they may be made in discussions and tracks. This increases the risk of being mistaken for “dialects” for Singaporeans.
It was not until 2016 when the 10- episode Hokkien drama Jiak Ba Buay ( Eat Already? ) apparently the first “dialect” line to air in Singapore since 1979.