Singapore has enlisted a drag queen comedian to give its people grammar lessons, as part of a long-running drive to encourage the correct use of English, for fear that weak language skills could dent its reputation as a business hub.
Foreigners visiting the tiny affluent Southeast Asian island occasionally find themselves bemused in conversation with Singaporeans, many of whom speak in a mishmash of broken English, Chinese dialect and Malay, popularly known as Singlish.
Despite a 15-year-long campaign to improve the use of English in the city-state, most of the 5.4 million populace have stayed resistant to what they see as curbs on an integral element of their culture.
This week the Speak Good English Movement launched a campaign to encourage better usage, enlisting comedian Kumar to act as 'The Queen of Grammar’ in a series of videos berating subjects’ use of the language. Full story
