Singapore

Summary

Official Name: Republic of Singapore
Population: 5,897,000
Principal Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Standard Malay, Tamil
Literacy Rate: 97% (2018 UNESCO)
International Conventions: CSICH (2012), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Singapore is 24. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 22 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 5 are institutional, 9 are developing, 8 are in trouble, and 2 are dying. Also listed are 10 unestablished languages.

Languages

Arabic, Egyptian Spoken arz: Users: 11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Bengali ben: North East district (No. 19), especially Hougang and Sengkang areas; scattered elsewhere. Users: 150,000 in Singapore (2021 The Straits Times), based on nationality. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese
Bugis bug: Users: 11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, South Sulawesi, Bugis
Chinese, Hakka hak: Scattered. Users: 233,000 in Singapore (2010 census). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Hokka, Ke, Kechia, Kehia, Kek, Khek Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Mandarin cmn: Users: 2,840,000 in Singapore, all users. L1 users: 1,960,000 in Singapore (2016 census). L2 users: 880,000. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Min Bei mnp: Districts 23 and 24, Bukit Batok area northwest; scattered elsewhere. Users: 18,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Min Pei Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Min Dong cdo: Scattered. Users: 56,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 70,800 (2010 census). Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Min Nan nan: Mostly Telok Ayer area. Users: 625,000 in Singapore (2015 World Factbook). Includes 448,000 Hokkien and 177,000 Teochew. Ethnic population: 1,860,000 (2010 census). Includes 1,120,000 Hokkien, 562,000 Teochew, 178,000 Hainanese. Status: 3 (Wider communication). Alternate Names: Banlamgi, Min Nam, Southern Min Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Pu-Xian cpx: Scattered. Users: 27,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 25,600 (2010 census). Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Yue yue: Scattered. Users: 227,000 in Singapore (2015 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 409,000 (2010 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Cantonese Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
English eng: Users: 2,355,000 in Singapore, all users. L1 users: 215,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 2,140,000 (2019 World Factbook). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Gujarati guj: Scattered. Users: 4,120 in Singapore (2010 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Gujerathi, Gujerati Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati
Hindi hin: Scattered. Users: 50,000 in Singapore (2017 The Straits Times), all users. L1 users: 13,100 (2010 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
Indonesian ind: Users: 118,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Japanese jpn: Users: 4,940 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 39,000 (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic
Javanese jav: Scattered. Users: 35,500 in Singapore (2004 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 88,600 (2010 census). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Djawa, Jawa Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Javanese
Kannada kan: Users: 22,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Kannada
Korean kor: Users: 21,400 in Singapore (2019 Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs), based on nationality. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic
Madura mad: Scattered. Users: 900 in Singapore (1985). Ethnic population: 28,000 (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Basa Mathura, Madhura, Madurese Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Madurese
Malay zlm: Users: 602,000 in Singapore (2016 census). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Colloquial Malay, Local Malay, Malayu Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Malay, Baba mbf: Mainly Kallang district, near city center; Geylang and Jao Chiat districts. Users: 10,000 in Singapore (Pakir 1986). Ethnic population: 250,000 (1986). Total users in all countries: 12,000. Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Baba, Chinese Malay, Low Malay, Straits Malay Autonym: Peranakan Classification: Creole, Malay based
Malay, Standard zsm: Widespread. Users: Few L1 speakers. L2 speakers include ethnic Malays and some others, particularly the older generation. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1963, Constitution, Article 153A(2)), not dominant despite status. Alternate Names: Bahasa Malaysia, Formal Malay, Malay, Malayu, Melayu, Melayu Baku Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Malayalam mal: Scattered. Users: 26,300 in Singapore (2010 census). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Alealum, Malayal, Malayalani, Malean, Maliyad, Mallealle, Mopla Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam
Musi mui: Users: 11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Orang Seletar ors: North-Eastern Islands district, Johor strait area; scattered elsewhere. Users: 1,200 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: 8a (Moribund). Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Punjabi, Eastern pan: Scattered. Users: 5,670 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 25,000 (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Eastern Panjabi Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi
Sindhi snd: Scattered. Users: 3,970 in Singapore (2010 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Northwestern, Sindhi
Singapore Sign Language sls: Scattered. Users: 6,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated signing deaf, assuming 0.1% of total population. Very few monolinguals. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: SGSL, SgSL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Sinhala sin: Scattered. Users: 3,140 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 16,000 (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Chingalese, Singhalese, Sinhalese Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian
Tagalog tgl: Users: 155,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog
Tamil tam: Users: 186,000 in Singapore (2016 census). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)). Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
Telugu tel: Scattered. Users: 800 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Dravidian, South-Central, Telugu
Thai tha: Users: 5,650 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 46,000 (2018 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kra-Dai, Kam-Tai, Tai, Southwestern
Urdu urd: Users: 3,000 in Singapore (2010 R. Jain). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Chinese, Mandarin

[cmn] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)). 2,840,000 in Singapore, all users. L1 users: 1,960,000 in Singapore (2016 census). L2 users: 880,000.

English

[eng] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)). 2,355,000 in Singapore, all users. L1 users: 215,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 2,140,000 (2019 World Factbook).

Malay, Standard

[zsm] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1963, Constitution, Article 153A(2)), not dominant despite status. Few L1 speakers. L2 speakers include ethnic Malays and some others, particularly the older generation.

Tamil

[tam] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1963, Constitution (amended), Article 153A(1)). 186,000 in Singapore (2016 census).

3 (Wider communication)

Chinese, Min Nan

[nan] 3 (Wider communication). 625,000 in Singapore (2015 World Factbook). Includes 448,000 Hokkien and 177,000 Teochew. Ethnic population: 1,860,000 (2010 census). Includes 1,120,000 Hokkien, 562,000 Teochew, 178,000 Hainanese.

5 (Dispersed)

Chinese, Yue

[yue] 5* (Dispersed). 227,000 in Singapore (2015 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 409,000 (2010 census).

Gujarati

[guj] 5* (Dispersed). 4,120 in Singapore (2010 census).

Hindi

[hin] 5* (Dispersed). 50,000 in Singapore (2017 The Straits Times), all users. L1 users: 13,100 (2010 census).

Sindhi

[snd] 5* (Dispersed). 3,970 in Singapore (2010 census).

Telugu

[tel] 5* (Dispersed). 800 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

5 (Developing)

Chinese, Min Dong

[cdo] 5* (Developing). 56,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 70,800 (2010 census).

Chinese, Pu-Xian

[cpx] 5* (Developing). 27,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 25,600 (2010 census).

Malay

[zlm] 5* (Developing). 602,000 in Singapore (2016 census).

Singapore Sign Language

[sls] 5 (Developing). 6,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated signing deaf, assuming 0.1% of total population. Very few monolinguals.

6b (Threatened)

Bengali

[ben] 6b* (Threatened). 150,000 in Singapore (2021 The Straits Times), based on nationality.

Chinese, Hakka

[hak] 6b* (Threatened). 233,000 in Singapore (2010 census).

Chinese, Min Bei

[mnp] 6b* (Threatened). 18,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Malayalam

[mal] 6b* (Threatened). 26,300 in Singapore (2010 census).

Punjabi, Eastern

[pan] 6b* (Threatened). 5,670 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 25,000 (2018 J. Leclerc).

Sinhala

[sin] 6b* (Threatened). 3,140 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 16,000 (2018 J. Leclerc).

7 (Shifting)

Javanese

[jav] 7 (Shifting). 35,500 in Singapore (2004 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 88,600 (2010 census).

Madura

[mad] 7 (Shifting). 900 in Singapore (1985). Ethnic population: 28,000 (2018 J. Leclerc).

8a (Moribund)

Malay, Baba

[mbf] 8a (Moribund). 10,000 in Singapore (Pakir 1986). Ethnic population: 250,000 (1986). Total users in all countries: 12,000.

Orang Seletar

[ors] 8a (Moribund). 1,200 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Unestablished

Arabic, Egyptian Spoken

[arz] Unestablished. 11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Bugis

[bug] Unestablished. 11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Indonesian

[ind] Unestablished. 118,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Japanese

[jpn] Unestablished. 4,940 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 39,000 (2018 J. Leclerc).

Kannada

[kan] Unestablished. 22,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Korean

[kor] Unestablished. 21,400 in Singapore (2019 Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs), based on nationality.

Musi

[mui] Unestablished. 11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Tagalog

[tgl] Unestablished. 155,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).

Thai

[tha] Unestablished. 5,650 in Singapore (2010 census). Ethnic population: 46,000 (2018 J. Leclerc).

Urdu

[urd] Unestablished. 3,000 in Singapore (2010 R. Jain).

Maps

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Singapore with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Singapore is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Singapore with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Singapore is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for Singapore in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Resources

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Digest of the languages of Singapore ($149.95, 29 page PDF)

Singapore

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action