<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> According to the Constitution of Singapore, the four official languages of Singapore are English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil while the symbolic national language is Malay . The three languages other than English were chosen to correspond with the major ethnic groups present in Singapore at the time: Mandarin had gained status since the introduction of Chinese - medium schools; Malay was deemed the "most obvious choice" for the Malay community; and Tamil for the largest Indian ethnic group in Singapore, in addition to being "the language with the longest history of education in Malaysia and Singapore". In 2009, more than 20 languages were identified as being spoken in Singapore, reflecting a rich linguistic diversity in the city . Singapore's historical roots as a trading settlement gave rise to an influx of foreign traders, and their languages were slowly embedded in Singapore's modern day linguistic repertoire . </P> <P> In the early years, the lingua franca of the island was Bazaar Malay (Melayu Pasar), a creole of Malay and Chinese, the language of trade in the Malay Archipelago . While it continues to be used among many on the island, especially Singaporean Malays, Malay has now been displaced by English . English became the lingua franca due to British rule of Singapore, and was made the main language upon Singaporean independence . Thus, English is the medium of instruction in schools, and is also the main language used in formal settings such as in government departments and the courts . </P>

Which asian country has four written languages but only one spoken language