The relationship between the economic value and symbolic value of Mandarin among youths in Singapore

Abstract

This paper seeks to identify the relationship between the economic value and symbolic value of Mandarin among youths in Singapore. Studies have shown that the standards of Mandarin appear to be falling in Singapore. In an attempt to counter this issue, researchers have shown that there has been an increased emphasis on the economic aspects of Mandarin. This has led to researchers suggesting that Singaporeans are a pragmatic group that are willing to focus on the economic aspects of a language while giving up on heritage. However, this paper argues that the relationship between the economic and symbolic values of Mandarin is not a zero-sum game but rather one that is complementary. In addition, this paper suggests that in order for the government to formulate effective policies to arrest the sliding standards of Mandarin, both the economic and symbolic value needs to be taken into consideration.