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Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia

Whether language is viewed as a necessity or an optional symbol of ethnic identity has profound influence on the retention of the language in the linguistic repertoire of future generations. The value attributed to language as an ethnic marker also has implications on whether language can function...

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Main Authors: Ting, Su Hie, Campbell, Yvonne Michelle
Format: Proceeding
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
HT Communities. Classes. Races
Online Access:http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/8596/1/Salience%20of%20Language.pdf
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/8596/
http://www.academia.edu/5885774/Ting_S._H._and_Campbell_Y._M._2013_November_16-17_._Salience_of_ethnic_identity_A_snapshot_of_the_Bidayuh_in_Sarawak_Malaysia._Proceedings_of_International_Conference_on_Languages_2013_ICL_2013_Phuket_Thailand
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id my.unimas.ir.8596
record_format eprints
spelling my.unimas.ir.85962022-05-12T08:18:50Z http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/8596/ Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia Ting, Su Hie Campbell, Yvonne Michelle HT Communities. Classes. Races Whether language is viewed as a necessity or an optional symbol of ethnic identity has profound influence on the retention of the language in the linguistic repertoire of future generations. The value attributed to language as an ethnic marker also has implications on whether language can function as an instrument of solidarity in the speech community. The study examined the salience of language as a marker of ethnicity for the indigenous Bidayuh community in Sarawak, Malaysia. The specific aspects studied were primary markers of ethnic identity and variations in perceptions across age groups. Questionnaires were distributed to 151 Bidayuhs from different age groups (secondary school students, university students, working adults). The participants ranked the importance of identity markers including parentage, language and other cultural elements. The results showed that Bidayuh parentage surfaced as an important ethnic marker only later in life but language is a salient ethnic symbol for all age groups. Another important ethnic symbol is the Gawai celebration, a harvest festival which has both religious and social significance. Interestingly the value placed on markers of ethnic membership increased with age, in spite of lessened use of Bidayuh in daily interactions. The findings are discussed in the context of ethnic identity categorisations. 2013 Proceeding NonPeerReviewed text en http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/8596/1/Salience%20of%20Language.pdf Ting, Su Hie and Campbell, Yvonne Michelle (2013) Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Languages 2013 (ICL 2013), 16-17 November 2013, Phuket, Thailand.. (Unpublished) http://www.academia.edu/5885774/Ting_S._H._and_Campbell_Y._M._2013_November_16-17_._Salience_of_ethnic_identity_A_snapshot_of_the_Bidayuh_in_Sarawak_Malaysia._Proceedings_of_International_Conference_on_Languages_2013_ICL_2013_Phuket_Thailand
institution Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
building Centre for Academic Information Services (CAIS)
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
content_source UNIMAS Institutional Repository
url_provider http://ir.unimas.my/
language English
topic HT Communities. Classes. Races
spellingShingle HT Communities. Classes. Races
Ting, Su Hie
Campbell, Yvonne Michelle
Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia
description Whether language is viewed as a necessity or an optional symbol of ethnic identity has profound influence on the retention of the language in the linguistic repertoire of future generations. The value attributed to language as an ethnic marker also has implications on whether language can function as an instrument of solidarity in the speech community. The study examined the salience of language as a marker of ethnicity for the indigenous Bidayuh community in Sarawak, Malaysia. The specific aspects studied were primary markers of ethnic identity and variations in perceptions across age groups. Questionnaires were distributed to 151 Bidayuhs from different age groups (secondary school students, university students, working adults). The participants ranked the importance of identity markers including parentage, language and other cultural elements. The results showed that Bidayuh parentage surfaced as an important ethnic marker only later in life but language is a salient ethnic symbol for all age groups. Another important ethnic symbol is the Gawai celebration, a harvest festival which has both religious and social significance. Interestingly the value placed on markers of ethnic membership increased with age, in spite of lessened use of Bidayuh in daily interactions. The findings are discussed in the context of ethnic identity categorisations.
format Proceeding
author Ting, Su Hie
Campbell, Yvonne Michelle
author_facet Ting, Su Hie
Campbell, Yvonne Michelle
author_sort Ting, Su Hie
title Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia
title_short Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia
title_full Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia
title_fullStr Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Salience of Language as an Ethnic Marker: A Snapshot of the Bidayuh of Sarawak, Malaysia
title_sort salience of language as an ethnic marker: a snapshot of the bidayuh of sarawak, malaysia
publishDate 2013
url http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/8596/1/Salience%20of%20Language.pdf
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/8596/
http://www.academia.edu/5885774/Ting_S._H._and_Campbell_Y._M._2013_November_16-17_._Salience_of_ethnic_identity_A_snapshot_of_the_Bidayuh_in_Sarawak_Malaysia._Proceedings_of_International_Conference_on_Languages_2013_ICL_2013_Phuket_Thailand
_version_ 1732948943823699968
score 13.211869

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