Abstract
In August 2010 the Language Centre, Universiti Brunei Darussalam took the unprecedented step of introducing modules in Tutong and Dusun, two unwritten traditional languages of distinct indigenous ethnic groups in Brunei. This chapter outlines the challenges faced by the centre in bringing these dying languages into the classroom, defying the official position of the Ministry of Education on teaching indigenous languages, and succeeding in (re)introducing the languages to a new generation of young Bruneians who never had the chance to learn the languages from their parents. No one had ever imagined these languages—that have traditionally only been spoken and have no ‘teachable standard’—would one day form part of a university minor degree programme. Today the classes continue to receive a steady stream of students every semester. This discussion shows how this was achieved mainly through the persistence of linguistic staff who saw merit in formally teaching these languages but also knew the administrative and pedagogical challenges would be onerous.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barrett, Rusty. 2009. The relationship between language teaching and Mayan language conservation in Guatemala. Paper presented at the International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation, University of Hawaii, 14 March.
Clynes, Adrian. 2010. Influence from dominant languages on minority language documentation projects: Some examples from Brunei. Paper presented at the 10th Biennial Borneo Research Council International Conference, Curtin University, Miri, Sarawak, 5–7 July.
Dutcher, Nadine. 2003. Promise and perils of mother tongue education. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.
Giles, Howard, Richard Y. Bourhis, and Donald M. Taylor. 1977. Towards a theory of language in ethnic group relations. In Language, ethnicity and intergroup relations, ed. Howard Giles, 307–348. London: Academic Press.
id21. 2006. Mother tongue first: children’s right to learn in their own language. ID 21 Insights 5. Brighton: University of Sussex.
Martin, Peter W. 2002. One language, one race, one nation? The changing language ecology of Brunei Darussalam. In Methodological and analytical issues in language maintenance and language shift studies, ed. Maya Khemlani David, 175–193. Berlin: Peter Lang.
Martin, Peter W., and Gloria R. Poedjosoedarmo. 1996. Introduction: an overview of the language situation in Brunei Darussalam. In Language use and language change in Brunei Darussalam eds. Peter W. Martin, Conrad Oz̊óg, and Gloria R. Poedjosoedarmo, 1–26. Athens: Ohio University Press.
McLellan, James. 2014. Strategies for revitalizing endangered Borneo languages: a comparison between Negara Brunei Darussalam and Sarawak. Malaysia. Southeast Asia: A Multidisciplinary Journal 14:14–22.
Noor Azam Haji-Othman. 2005. Changes to the linguistic diversity of Negara Brunei Darussalam. PhD thesis, University of Leicester.
Noor Azam Haji-Othman. 2010. Creating relevance: the Tutongkita’ newspage experiment. Paper presented at the 10th Biennial Borneo Research Council International Conference, Curtin University, Miri, Sarawak, 5–7 July.
Noor Azam Haji-Othman, Dk Liyana Putri Pg Abd Ghani, and Hjh Suciyati Haji Sulaiman. 2009. Motivations in language learning: the Language Centre experience. Paper presented at the English for Business and Technology (E4BT), Institute Teknologi Brunei, Brunei, 18–19 November.
Nothofer, Bernd. 1991. The languages of Brunei Darussalam. In Papers in Pacific linguistics, A-81, ed. Hein Steinhauer, 151–176. Canberra: Australian National University.
Ramlee Tunggal. 2005. Struktur bahasa Tutong. Bandar Seri Begawan: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Sercombe, Peter. 2002. Language maintenance and shift: a review of theoretical and regional issues with special reference to Borneo. In Methodological and analytical issues in language maintenance and language shift studies, ed. Maya Khemlani David, 1–19. Berlin: Peter Lang.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Noor Azam Haji-Othman (2017). Challenges in Indigenous Language Education: The Brunei Experience. In: King, V., Ibrahim, Z., Hassan, N. (eds) Borneo Studies in History, Society and Culture. Asia in Transition, vol 4. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0672-2_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0672-2_22
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-0671-5
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-0672-2
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)