I found the article “Speak Dialect Campaign? Gen Z and millennials on quest to reclaim grandmother tongues” (April 13) thought-provoking and also ironic.

In recent years, there has been a commendable surge among younger Singaporeans, including university students, members of Gen Z and millennials, in initiating projects aimed at preserving and learning Chinese dialects. These grassroots movements are a heartening indication of young people’s concern for our cultural legacy and heritage.

Conversely, there seems to be a noticeable inertia from the authorities in relaxing restrictions on the use of dialects in mainstream media and cinemas. Initially implemented to promote Mandarin, this policy appears to have lost its efficacy. If anything, English seems to have become more of a barrier to younger Singaporeans learning Mandarin.

I agree that permitting dialects in films screened in commercial cinemas could bolster box office revenue and stem the outflow of takings to neighbouring countries. Moreover, dialect screenings would encourage viewers to engage with subtitles in English and Chinese, facilitating language proficiency.

Perhaps more can be done, besides employing dialects for government messages aimed at seniors, through specially tailored drama and variety shows.

Considering the myriad benefits of allowing dialects, as cited in the article, shouldn’t we reassess the outdated policy before our dialects fade further into obscurity? It’s time for proactive measures to safeguard our linguistic diversity and cultural heritage.

Goh Ying Sheng