Singapore English refers to varieties of the English language spoken in Singapore, of which there are two main forms – Standard Singapore English (SSE) and Singapore Colloquial English (better known as Singlish).[1][2]
Singapore is a cosmopolitan city with 42% of its population born outside the country.[needs update][citation needed] Singaporeans, even those of the same ethnic group, have many different first languages and cultures. For example, in 2005, among Chinese Singaporeans, nearly a third speak English as their main language at home while almost half speak Mandarin and the rest speak various mutually unintelligible Chinese topolects.[3] The English language is now the most medium form of communication among students from primary school to university. Many households use two or three languages on a regular basis, and English is often one of them. In the past,[when?] some children received lesser English education than others. As such, the level of fluency in English among residents in Singapore varies comparably greatly from person to person.