Adopting Translation Anthologies to Teach Mother Tongues and Culture: Insights From the Chinese Singaporean Experience

以翻譯選集提升母語及其文化：從文化角度分析新加坡華人個案

10.29912/CTR.202203_15(1).0005

陳枻樵(Yi-Chiao Chen)

multiculturalism ； lingua franca ； language policy ； preservation of mother tongue and culture ； translation anthology ； 多元文化主義 ； 通用語 ； 語言政策 ； 母語及文化維護 ； 翻譯選集

編譯論叢

15卷1期（2022 / 03 / 01）

141 - 172

英文

As a multicultural nation, Singapore has adopted English as the official language of communication among the members of its large multiethnic society, whereas Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil are considered mother tongues. English has gradually replaced these other languages and become the lingua franca of school, work, and home life because of the national language policy. Chinese Singaporeans have employed many methods to preserve their mother tongue and culture, including the publication of translation anthologies. This study examined two anthologies, Droplets and A Scholar's Path. Droplets introduces readers to Singapore's prominent writers, their styles, and the nation's Chinese culture and values. Although A Scholar's Path only introduces readers to one writer, the editors create a detailed world enabling readers to deeply understand the writer's life, his writing, and the history of Chinese Singaporeans from several perspectives.

新加坡政府秉持多元文化主義制定其語言政策，選擇英文作為主要溝通語言，而華文、馬來文以及淡米爾文則被視為母語。然而，隨著時間演變，英文逐漸取代其他三個語言，成為求學、工作甚至在家時所使用的通用語。新加坡華人採取諸多對策以進行母語及文化維護，其中包括出版翻譯選集。本研究取得兩本相關出版物，分別為Droplets及A Scholar's Path，在深入分析後發現，閱讀Droplets能讓我們對新加坡在地重要作者有所認識，同時也能熟悉他們的寫作風格以及從中學習中華文化與價值觀。相較之下，A Scholar's Path只收錄單一作者的作品，但編輯在這本選集中提供讀者多方面的資料，讓人能從各個角度深度了解一名作者並且賞析其作品，此外，讀者還能學習中華文化、價值觀與中文詩之美。

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