While it is rather disconcerting that Chinese students who 'take advantage of Singapore's fine education system' would disparage some of the speech mannerisms of Singaporeans, it is not possible to prevent this from happening.

Perhaps it is better not to take these criticisms too seriously. As a Singaporean who has travelled widely, I have seen how people in Beijing mock the way people in Shanghai speak, including their accents and mannerisms.

People in Los Angeles and San Francisco imitate people in Mississippi and Alabama speak, elongating the vowels and raising and lowering the slurs before bursting into laughter.

Any linguist will tell you that language is local. That means that the way the people of a region speak a language is determined by the geography, and that includes the accent and the way people of that region construct their sentences. Of course, the slang and choice of words, too, vary widely.

It is better to think that Singapore has a unique culture, which is a blend of several local languages without losing its distinct parts. It is this quality that makes us distinct.

There is also a street English (Singlish) and an academic English (Standard English). It is important to know both and when to use them.

And having lived in America for a number of years, I do not particularly think that the majority of Americans speak better English. Just turn on the caption for any reality TV show and you will realise that the masses of Americans do not speak like the newscasters on CNN. Their poor or broken English is disguised by their American accent.

Ong Wooi-Chin