Forms and Functions of Reduplication in Colloquial Singaporean English

Abstract

Some characteristics which give Colloquial Singaporean English its distinctive flavour and charm include the use of discourse particles like a, la, ma, ho, le, 10, me and one, invariant is/isn't question tags, got as an existential-locative verb, and topic-comment structures. This article looks at yet another pervasive feature, reduplication. used in the informal discourse of most Singaporeans irrespective of social class and ethnicity. The use of such strategies shows how Singaporeans have adapted the English language to suit their communicative styles and express their own identity. The article discusses how reduplication is used to create new meanings for its users and serves a multiplicity of functions. Examples of reduplication are presented under three grammatical classes: finite verbs and verb groups, nouns and modifiers.