Vitaliti Semasa Bahasa Melayu di Negara Brunei Darussalam

Main Article Content

Najib Noorashid

Abstract

The interminable “Malay vs. English” debate is ubiquitous in the Malay world. Although Malay is the national language, a cultural and identity marker for the Malays, the globalisation and increasing importance of English has prompted concerns on the decline of the Malay language among scholars and the general public. By applying a modified triangulation model with Language and Attitudes Model, Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale, and Language Vitality and Endangerment Frameworks, this article discusses language attitudes and vitality of two important variants of Malay in Brunei: Standard Malay and Brunei Malay, amid the bilingual environment in the country, based on data gathered involving Brunei Malay speakers and claims by Malay scholars. The results show that the language attitudes among Bruneian youth towards both languages are positive and both variants are preserved through local maintenance efforts. Both variants also exist complementary to English depending on contexts and audiences. This article also criticises previous claims on the “threatened” status of Malay language as it also disapproves the accusation that English will become a threat the status and preservation of Malay.


 


Perdebatan mengenai “pertelingkahan bahasa Melayu dan bahasa Inggeris” sentiasa wujud di alam Melayu. Walaupun bahasa Melayu merupakan bahasa rasmi/ bahasa kebangsaan dan juga bahasa penanda budaya dan identiti orang Melayu, masih terdapat kekhuatiran terhadap kemungkinan kepupusan bahasa tersebut dalam kalangan para sarjana dan masyarakat Melayu. Perkara ini terjadi kerana peningkatan kepentingan bahasa Inggeris dalam era globalisasi. Dengan mengaplikasikan Model Sikap Bahasa dan metode Skala Penilaian Gangguan Antara Generasi Luasan serta Rangka Kerja Keberdayaan dan Kepupusan Bahasa, makalah ini membincangkan sikap bahasa dan daya hidup semasa bagi dua variasi bahasa Melayu iaitu bahasa Melayu standard dan bahasa Melayu Brunei dalam persekitaran dwibahasa di Negara Brunei Darussalam, berdasarkan bukti-bukti kajian analisis terhadap penutur bahasa Melayu Brunei dan tanggapan beberapa sarjana bahasa Melayu. Hasil analisis mendapati sikap para belia terhadap kedua-dua variasi bahasa adalah positif dan kewujudan dilestarikan melalui usaha-usaha penyelenggaraan setempat, selain kedua-dua variasi bahasa ini saling melengkapi dengan bahasa Inggeris mengikut kesesuaian konteks dan audiens. Makalah ini turut menyangkal tanggapan yang menyatakan kedudukan dan daya hidup semasa bahasa Melayu terancam, selain turut menyanggah dakwaan kewujudan bahasa Inggeris mengancam status dan pengekalan bahasa Melayu.

Article Details

How to Cite
Vitaliti Semasa Bahasa Melayu di Negara Brunei Darussalam. (2021). KEMANUSIAAN The Asian Journal of Humanities, 28(2), 159–187. https://doi.org/10.21315/kajh2021.28.2.7
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