Language Vitality Reassessment and Revival Efforts for Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

The Bidayuh language has been characterized as having stable vitality in some studies and shifting status in others. An Ethnologue update labels two Bidayuh dialects as endangered, but little is known about language use in the Bidayuh community and the community members’ awareness of their language’s vitality. This study reassesses the vitality of the Bidayuh language of Sarawak, Malaysia, based on survey responses from 467 Bidayuh respondents. The study confirms that Bidayuh is threatened, as most of the children no longer speak the language. The respondents in the survey are aware of the vulnerable status of Bidayuh and believe that parents should speak Bidayuh to their children to keep the language strong. The findings suggest that cultural immersion may be the key to making the Bidayuh language an inherent part of the life of younger Bidayuh people.