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文物局同意重设 四官方语言+日语解说樟宜二战纪念碑

我国前外交部长杨荣文,上月底在“新加坡透视”(Singapore Perspectives)论坛上发表讲话时说,他日前带印尼前外长马蒂到樟宜海滩,原本想向他介绍日据时期发生的“肃清大屠杀”历史,却发现原先有四种官方语文和日语的纪念碑,被只有英语的纪念碑取代。 杨荣文认为,这形同“刻意削砍掉我们的文化基因,否定我们自身的强项和宝贵遗产”,文化同质化的新加坡,将会是“非常不有趣”的新加坡。 他也指出,除了四语外加上日文解说,是因为让日本人知道这段历史,也是重要的。 杨荣文的反映也获得各家媒体跟进报导,《海时》在本月也18日的报导指出,在国内36个重要纪念碑、旅游景点和公共机构,至少有40巴仙并没有展示所有四大官方语言:中文、英语、马来语和淡米尔语。 对此本地语言历史学者陈丹枫,也认为坚持在公共地点使用四大官方语言的告示,乃是因为语言触及狮城所有国人的生活,也是确保我国不会失去多元语言特色的有效方法之一。 “当全球许多国家的语言也越趋多样化,我国应当反思是否值得反其道而行,走向语言同质化。” 显然国家文物局也听到了杨荣文等人的反映,在上周五于脸书回应,感谢杨荣文对樟宜海滩历史纪念碑的反馈。 “二战史是新加坡历史的重要部分。有鉴于他的显著意义,我们认同杨荣文先生的观点,这些历史景点纪念碑,都应以四大官方语言注释,加上日语,让国人和游客都能更好地了解、反思新加坡曾经经历过的那段战时历史。” 文物局也表示,会重新设计并树立有上述五种语言的纪念碑,以其在内容意义的呈现和方便阅读等实际考量取得平衡。与此同时,也寻求借助科技等其他方法,方便访客们获得更多有关这些历史景点的资讯。