Dr. Norazuna Norahim
Pusat Pengajian Bahasa
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
This paper attempts to provide an overview of
previous studies and on-going research on languages and dialects of Sarawak. The
paper compiles existing literature and identifies gaps in research on the
subject, and discusses UNIMAS role in the development of this body of
knowledge. Relatively, Sarawak is a linguistically heterogeneous populated
territory, with 44-45 Austronesian languages occupying 124,450
km2. Language and dialect boundaries in the territory can be indistinct.
The dichotomy of some of these languages, whether they are
dialects of a language, or a language in its own right, has yet to be supported
by further comparative studies. Published work on linguistic groupings may not
always correspond to native speakers’ perceptions of their languages. Ethnic
category may not reflect the diversities of speech communities that it
subsumes. As a result, ethnic categorisation and the languages they speak were misleadingly
represented. This is one area of
research that is critically in need of further research. Thus far, literature
on Sarawak has not advanced much from the initial categorisation of language
families by earlier studies (e.g. Hudson, 1970/1978; Blust, 1974/1977 Asmah,
1983). Postgraduate theses and
dissertations on linguistic description of languages are on an increase. Nonetheless, long term projects in the language
documentation have yet to be outlined. A major attempt at initial documentation
of selected communities by Asmah Omar was carried out in 1983. Researches by
Summer Institutes of Linguistics (SIL) have also contributed to the development
of literature on documentation of these languages. Nonetheless, literature on language
planning of indigenous languages remains unexplored. The lack of local linguists’
involvement is partly the factor for the inadequacies (of
literature on languages and dialects of Sarawak). In addition, concerted language planning is
also lacking, which is evidence from the non-existence of a language faculty in
the territory that addresses these issues.
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