{
  "id": 5715041,
  "title": "‘Unlock your DNA’: More young S’poreans taking up dialect classes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/unlock-your-dna-more-young-sporeans-taking-up-dialect-classes",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/more-young-sporeans-taking-up-dialect-classes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singaporeans, particularly young adults, are increasingly taking up dialect classes to reconnect with their cultural roots and build stronger intergenerational bonds. Eldred Wee, a 34-year-old entrepreneur, began learning Hainanese after his parents divorced when he was nine, resulting in his parents not passing on their dialect to him. He aims to teach his four-year-old son, Eden, Hainanese so he can also appreciate their cultural heritage. The popularity of dialect classes has grown over the past few years, with clan associations reporting a rise in enrollment from primarily middle-aged and older learners to a younger demographic, including those in their 20s and 40s. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan's veteran radio newscaster, Nigel Lim, attributes this increase to China's growing strength and the desire to connect with relatives and business partners overseas. He also notes that the government's recent easing of its policy on dialect content is beneficial for Singaporeans' mastery of Mandarin, as learning dialects can help them better understand the language's complexities. The rise in dialect class enrollment has prompted clan associations to experiment with various teaching methods, such as incorporating traditional elements like qiaopi into programs and organizing intergenerational activities like making traditional food together. These efforts aim to leverage Singaporeans' interest in food, music, and pop culture to sustain engagement in dialect learning.",
  "summary": "Food, music, intergenerational activities and role-playing make dialect learning fun.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}