Examining the factors influencing the usage of Mandarin lexical items among Chinese Singaporeans

Abstract

In recent years, studies have shown that Chinese Singaporeans are opting to use more Mainland China Mandarin Chinese (MMC) lexical items instead of Singapore Mandarin Chinese (SMC) alternatives in their day-to-day conversations. However, research carried out by scholars in the field lack substantial information about the reasons which motivate these speakers to use vocabulary from a particular variety of Mandarin. It is crucial to explore this topic in detail as it sheds light on how the lexicon of SMC has evolved over time. This study investigates the trends of Mandarin vocabulary usage among Chinese Singaporeans, as well as the factors which can potentially affect their lexical choice. In order to address the aims of the paper, both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used. A total of 126 questionnaire respondents and 15 interviewees participated in this study, with the results proving that Chinese Singaporeans use almost as many MMC terms as SMC terms in their daily conversations. In addition, the data gathered from the participants showed that age is the most significant factor which can impact a speaker’s lexical choice. This key finding reinforces the results of research projects conducted by Stratton (2022) and Lin & Teo (2023), effectively placing emphasis on the role of age in influencing one’s choice of vocabulary.