Business and Money Tips

Many people ask why Singaporeans are so passionate about the Teochew movie Dear You . Some argue that cinemas should screen more dialect movies. Others disagree. I believe we are asking the wrong question. The real question is this: In another 30 to 50 years, who will still understand our dialects? Most of the people rushing to watch Dear You in its original Teochew version belong to the older generation. They grew up speaking Teochew, Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka or Hainanese at home. The dialect in the movie reminds them of their parents, grandparents and childhood. But time is moving on. One day, this generation will no longer be with us. Many young Singaporeans today cannot speak dialects. Some are not even comfortable speaking Mandarin. As each generation passes, another piece of our cultural memory quietly disappears. A dialect is far more than a way of speaking. It carries family stories. It carries humour that cannot be translated. It carries values. It carries affection. It ...