This paper explores the language policy of Singapore and characteristics of Singapore English with reference to the sound system, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. The multi-ethnic nation Singapore has four official languages: Malay, Chinese, Tamil, and English. The former three represent the three major ethnic groups in Singapore, whereas English serves as lingua franca among the ethnic groups. Singapore English has four major varieties of acrolect, upper mesolect, lower mesolect, and basilect. The pronunciation of Singapore English is different from Received Pronunciation, and the grammar deviates from standard English. Singapore English also has various lexical items which are borrowed from background languages. Exploring language policy in Singapore and distinctive features of Singapore English, this paper attempts to contribute to a better understanding of the dynamic nature of English as an international language, and to examine its utilization in effective cross-cultural communication in a global society.

Characteristics of urban warming phenomenon were studied using degree days for three big cities(Seoul, Busan, Daegu) adjacent to airport. Time variation of the cooling and heating degree days was analyzed using the daily mean air temperature data measured at the six meteorological observatory for long-term periods(25～43years). The results for the big cities are as followings: 1) It was found that the heating degree days trended to decrease from year to year. 2) The cooling degree days were nearly unchanged during the same analysis periods. 3) The number of days calling for air-heating also tended to decrease as time passes. 4) Those of air-cooling were nearly unchanged during the same time. It suggests that the change of air-heating condition owing to urbanization came in evidence in the winter season, but that of air-cooling condition was slight in the summer season. On the other hand, the long-term trends of degree days were very small in airport areas except for Kimhae airport. Hence, the gaps of degree days between big cities and rural airport areas are increasing.