British English

''This article discusses British English in the context of Singapore. For a wider discussion of British English, consult the Wikipedia article.'' British English is a broad term used to refer usually to the standard dialect of English spoken in Britain and the British Empire. In colonial times, British English was the standard on which English was used in the colony.

The use of British English has eroded in 'favour' of the local standard dialect Standard Singapore English. Notable local speakers of British English include Lee Kuan Yew (who read law at Cambridge) and thespian Margaret Chan.

Received Pronunciation
For a wider discussion of Received Pronunciation, consult the Wikipedia article. Received Pronunciation used to be the model on which Standard Singapore English was pronounced. Due to the erosion of a lasting colonial cultural legacy, this is no longer the case. A new received standard has emerged, based on a hodge-podge of General American, Chinese 'dialects', and other languages. RP is generally the accent of older, culturally elite, upper-class Singaporeans.