Beng Soon Lim

Associate Professor Lim Beng Soon

Head, Malay Language and Literature Programme

School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences

Tel: +65 6248 5004

Email: YnNsaW1Ac3Vzcy5lZHUuc2c=

Educational Qualifications

2002
PhD, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Scope of Doctoral Thesis: Comparison of pragmatic features in the discourse of Malay and English Bilinguals

1996

MA in Translating, University of Salford

1995
BA (Educ.) (Hons.), Universiti Sains Malaysia

Academic and Professional Experience

Employment Achievements at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)

2008 - present
Head – Malay Language and Literature

2008
Planned and Developed the Malay Language and Literature Programme for SIM University, Singapore

Other Experiences

Teaching Positions
2008 – present
Lecturer/Associate Professor, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore

2007 - 2008

Associate Professor, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2005 - 2007
Languages Specialist, SEAMEO, Regional Language Centre, Singapore

2002 - 2005
Assistant Professor, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Administrative/Editorial/Research Positions

2005 - 2007
Coordinator, Postgraduate Diploma in TESOL, Regional Language Centre of the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).

2005 - 2007
Editor, SEAMEO Guidelines, Regional Language Centre of the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization

2007
Task Force Developer of Singapore MINDEF Language

2008
Member - Curriculum Review Committee, BA English Language and Linguistics, Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya

2006 - Present
Member, Editorial Board, RELC Journal published by SAGE Publications

2006 - 2015
Chair, Publications Sub-committee, United Nations Association of Singapore

2016 - Present
Member, Malay Resource Panel for The National Translation Committee, Singapore

2007 – 2017
Member, Talent Advisory Panel, People’s Association, Singapore




Chapters in Edited Books/Edited Books

Lim, BS. (In Print )
A New Deal: How Malay Language and Literature Programmes in Singapore can respond to the age of disruption in Roszalina Rawi, Irwan Jamal, Herwanto Johari (Ed.), A Festchrift for Kamsiah Abdullah.Singapore: Partridge Publishing.

Lim, B.S. (2021)
Perkembangan Pengajian Bahasa Melayu Pada Peringkat Universiti di Singapura: Satu Pemerihalan Ringkas in Norsofiah Abu Bakar and Mohd Khaidir Abdul Wahab (Eds). Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Bahasa Melayu Sebagai Bahasa Antarabangsa, Kuala Lumpur: Institut Terjemahan dan Buku Malaysia. Pp 47-63.


Tan Soo Yean, Genice Ngg & Lim Beng Soon (2017)
Cultural Competence and Lifelong Learning Through the Lenses of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Leong Thin Yin & Cheah Horn Mun (Eds), The Heart of Learning, Singapore: Singapore University of Social Sciences. pp. 233-243.

Lim, B.S. (2016)
Pepatah Melayu dan Adat Berkampung: Values Rights and Responsibilities in a Kampong as depicted by Malay Sayings
in Antonio L. Rappa (Ed). The Architectonics of the Village, Singapore: World Scientific. pp 165-179.

Lim, B.S. and Poedjosoedarmo, G. (2016)
Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Melayu: convergence and divergence of the official languages in contemporary Southeast Asia in Gerhard Lietner, Azirah Hashim and Hans Georg Wolf (Ed). Communicating with Asia: The Future of English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 170-187.

Lim, B.S. (2012)
Transfers of politeness strategies: Some preliminary findings in Ee Ling Low & Azirah Hashim (Ed). English in South East Asia. Features, Policy and Language Use. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. pp 343-354.

Lim, B.S. & Ong L. A. (2012)
How to make women buy beauty: A comparative analysis of print advertisements of beauty products based the theory of conversational implicatures in Jamie Shinhee Lee & Andrew Moody (Ed) English in Popular Culture, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. pp 173-198.

Lim, B. S. (2010)
Penang Peranakan Hokkien: A Sociological Reflection of a Hybrid Tongue in Penang Peranakan Chinese and Chinese Muslims: An Historical and Cultural Journey. Penang: Persatuan Karyawan Pulau Pinang, pp 141-165.

Lim, B.S., Lee K.B. and Chua J.S.M (Eds.) (2009)
Papers Presented at the 2007 and 2008 UNAS Seminar, Singapore: United Nations Association of Singapore.

Lim, B.S. 2008
An introduction to the language of the Peranakans in Malaysia and Singapore in Peranakan A-Z, National Heritage Board: Singapore. pp 166-167.

Journal Papers

Lim B.S. 2022
Challenges Facing Malay Language Studies in Singapore Today. ASEAN Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1:1, pp. 80-90.

Lim B.S., Azirah H. & Buttny R. 2014
Accounts of Religio-cultural Identity in Singapore and Malaysia. In Maya D. & Powell R. (Ed.) International Journal of the Sociology of Language (Special Issue: Language and Religion in Asian Contexts and Text) No. 229, pp 9-28.

Schaetzel, K., Low, E.L. & Lim, B.S. 2010
A descriptive and qualtitative case study of teaching Singapore English: a features-based approach. In Ee Ling Low & Pakir, A. (Ed.). World Englishes (Special Issue: Englishes in Southeast Asia) 29:3, pp 420-430.

Wong, M.E. & Lim, B.S. 2007
Involving Visually Impaired Students in the Language Classroom. SEAMEO Guidelines, 29:1, pp 20-24.

Ahn S.W., Lim, B.S. & Suh, K-O. 2005
The growth of English in Singapore as a model for Korea. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics 5:1, pp 115-138.

Lim, B.S. 2005
Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Framework and Studies on Politeness in the 1990s, Journal of Modern Languages 16, pp 64-79.

Lim, B.S. 2005
Malay Sayings as Politeness Strategies, Journal of Modern Languages 16, pp 65-79.

Lim, B.S. 2003
Translation in 21st Century Singapore. Journal of Modern Languages 15, pp 52-58.

Teoh, B.S., Lim, B.S. & Lee, L.H. 2003
A study of Penang Peranakan Hokkien. Journal of Modern Languages 15, pp 169-190.

Lim, B.S. & Wee, B.G. 2002.
A study of the Singapore identity through an analysis of media reports on a national tragedy (crash of flight MI 185 in December 1997). Bijdragen tot de Taal-Land-en Volkenkunde 158:1, pp 49-60.

Teoh, B.S. & Lim, B.S. 2001
Challenges confronting translators in multilingual and multiethnic Singapore. Babel International Journal of Translation 47:1, pp 22-34.

Teoh, B.S. & Lim, B.S. 2001
Penggunaan Bahasa Melayu di Singapura: Satu Pemerihalan Ringkas. Jurnal Bahasa Moden 13, pp 51-64.

Teoh, B.S. & Lim, B.S. 1999
Malay in Baba Hokkien of Penang. Journal of The Malaysian Branch of The Royal Asiatic Society 72:1, pp 125-137.

Teoh, B.S. & Lim, B.S. 1997
Ciri-Ciri Kesantunan Bahasa Inggeris Tempatan: Sejauh Manakah Ciri-Ciri Itu Membayangi Bahasa Melayu. Jurnal Dewan Bahasa, pp 999-1007.

Invited Reviews and Commissioned Reviews

Commissioned Review of Mohamed Pitchey Gani Bin Mohamed Abdul Aziz (2009) Legasi Bahasa Melayu. Singapore: Asas 50 Press for E-Utama a Malay Language online Journal published by the Malay Department at the National Institute of Education, NTU, Singapore, 2011.

Commissioned Review of: Chew, P.G.L. (2010)
Multiculturalism in Colonial Singapore. Singapore: National Library Board.

Lim, B.S. Book Review of Hui Wang (2009)
Translating Chinese Classics in a Colonial Context. James Legge and His Two Versions of the Zhongyong. Bern: Peter Lang in Babel Vol.56.4, 2010.

Commissioned review of: Teo, P. & Ho C. (eds) (2007)
Discourse in the Modern World: Perspectives and Challenges. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Press.

Lim, B.S. Book Review of Braine, George. (ed.) 2005
Teaching English To The World. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers in RELC Journal August 2006 37.2

Lim, B.S. Book Review of Holliday, Adrian. (ed.) 2005
The Struggle to Teach English as an International Language, Oxford: Oxford University Press in RELC Journal August 2006 37.2

Lim, B.S. Book Review of Leo Tak-hung Chan (ed.) 2003
One into Many . Translation and Dissemination of Classical Chinese Literature. Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V. in Babel Vol.51.1, 2005

Lim, B.S. Book Review, Wehmeier, Sally et al. (eds.) 2005
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press in RELC Journal vol. 36:2, 2005.

Lim, B.S. Book Review, Triangulating Translation: Perspectives in Process Oriented Research, Fabio Alves (ed.) J. Benjamins: Amsterdam, 2003
Translatio - International Federation of Translators, Belgium, XXIV, 2005.

Lim, B.S. Book Review
The Penang Po Leung Kuk: Chinese Women, Prostitution and a Welfare Organisation, Neil Khor Jin Keong & Khoo Keat Siew, Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Branch of The Royal Asiatic Society. 2004 in Bijdragentot de Taal-Land-en Volkenkunde 16:1, 2005.

Lim, B.S. Book Review
PROKEM: An Analysis of A Jakartan Slang, Slone Thomas H. Masalai Press: USA 2003. in Bijdragentot de Taal-Land-en Volkenkunde 161:1, 2005.

Lim, B.S. Book Review
One into Many: Translation and Dissemination of Classical Chinese Literature. Leo-Tak H.C. (ed.). Rodopi B.V. Tjinmuiden: Amsterdam, 2003 in Babel 50:4, 2004.

Teoh, B.S. & Lim, B.S. 1997
Book Review. The Changing Scene in World Languages: Issues and Challenges - A.T.A. Monographs Series IX. Mariam B. Labrum (ed.). J Benjamins: Amsterdam 1997. in Translatio - International Federation of Translators, Belgium, XIX 2000.

2002
Honours Year Thesis Supervision NIE, NTU
2003
Ph.D. Thesis External Examiner University of Malaya
2004
M.A. Thesis Supervision NIE, NTU
2005
M.A. Thesis Examiner NUS
2006
PhD Thesis External Examiner University of Malaya
2007
M.A. Theses Supervision & Curtin University of Technology
Examination
2007
PhD Thesis External Examiner University of Malaya
2014
MA Thesis External Examiner NTU
  • Listed in the Dean’s list and awarded the honours award in Universiti Sains Malaysia’s examination for the academic session of 1993-1994 in the programme of Bachelor of Arts with Education
  • Awarded Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Gold Medal as the best student in the fi eld of Education (1995)
  • Country Speaker representing Singapore, 9th English in South East Asia Conference, Jogjakarta, Indonesia 2004
  • Plenary Speaker, 54th International Conference of The Association Of Teachers Of English As A Foreign Language in Indonesia, Salatiga, Indonesia 2006
  • Invited Speaker, Inaugural National Conference: Penang Peranakan Chinese and Chinese Muslims :Reflections and Visions. Penang, Malaysia 2008
  • Invited Speaker, Malay Teachers’ Union Singapore, 6 June 2009
  • Invited Panelist, International Malay Language Forum Series I, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 21 August
    2023.
  • Executive Committee Member & Hon. Treasurer - Singapore Association of Applied Linguistics,
    Singapore (2003 – June 2006)
  • Executive Committee Member - Singapore Association of Applied Linguistics, Singapore (2008 – Present)
  • Fellow – Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, England
  • Member - Malaysian Branch of The Royal Asiatic Society, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Funded University of Malaya, Research Project on Baba Malay, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS code UMRG RG030/09SBS) funding amount of M$21,000 with Faridah Mohd Noor (2008).
  • Funded CFAR UniSIM Research Project on Multiculturalism in Malaysia and Singapore: Discovery and Identity (code RF11SAS01) funding amount of S$ 9945 with A. Hashim of University Malaya and R. Butney of Syracuse University (2010).

  • Plan, execute and implement the teaching 26 undergraduate courses in Malay Language and Literature as the Head of Programme (2008 - present)
  • Conceptualizing and supervising the development of three Business Malay courses for non-Malay speaking undergraduates at SUSS (2021-2022).
  • Instructor, Basic English – Malay Translation Workshop for the Civil Service College ( 2019, 2020, 2022)
  • Instructor, Advanced English – Malay Translation Workshop for the Civil Service College (2019, 2020)
  • Instructor, Basic English – Malay Translation Workshop for MCI ( 2016, 2018)
  • Instructor, Advanced English – Malay Translation Workshop for MCI (2017, 2018)
  • Language Consultant – Singapore Panel Study on Social Dynamics, Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (2017 - 2019)
  • Pragmatics Malay
  • Baba Malay
  • Translation
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Discourse Analysis
Back to top
Back to top