Social networks and maintenance of an endangered language: the Kejaman of Malaysia
Abstract Purpose – This study examined how social network influences maintenance of the indigenous language of the Kejaman, a small indigenous group living in Sarawak, Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach – The participants were 123 Kejaman speakers from three generations living in two longhous...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
Emerald Publishing Limited
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/48468/1/2025_Amee_Ting_networks_SEAMJ_25%281%29_pp42_57.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/48468/ https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/seamj-09-2024-0069/full/html https://doi.org/10.1108/SEAMJ-09-2024-0069 |
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| Summary: | Abstract
Purpose – This study examined how social network influences maintenance of the indigenous language of the
Kejaman, a small indigenous group living in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach – The participants were 123 Kejaman speakers from three generations living in
two longhouses in Belaga, Sarawak. Participants were presented with 20 situations relevant to the lives of
Kejaman people to find out the people they interact with.
Findings – The grandparents, parents and children’s generations all had more exchange networks (M 5131.7)
than interactive networks (M 5 110.3). They consulted kin on matters related to family, money, culture, death
and taboos, providing the avenue for the use of the Kejaman language. Generation 2 had more interactive
networks and Generation 3 consulted non-kin on more matters, and the communication takes place in languages
other than Kejaman. Chi-Square tests of independence showed no significant differences in the number of
exchange and interactive networks across generations. The three generations were not significantly different in
uniplexity (M5 29.5%) and multiplexity scores (M520.6%). The Kejamans belong to a low-density, uniplex
social network community.
Research limitations/implications – There is a limitation in using social network analysis as a reliable
predictor of future language use. This is because social networks are not fixed. They can expand, shrink and
change over lifetime, and the fact that the generation of children does not talk about family matters in their
mother tongue does not mean that they will not do so in future.
Practical implications – As interactive networks comprise non-Kejaman people, there will be inadequate close
ethnic ties to support transmission and maintenance of Kejaman linguistic and cultural norms. Therefore, their
language fluency may decline to the extent that they experience language anxiety and feel uncomfortable using it.
Social implications – The quantity and quality of interactive networks for the Kejaman are not conducive for
upward mobility. What this means in the sociopolitical context of Sarawak is that, this small indigenous group is
still family-centred and does not have adequate social contacts in the wider society, indicating lack of social
standing.
Originality/value – The study suggests that in future the Kejaman will rely on interactive networks to talk about
life-choices, and the lessened contact with Kejaman people will affect maintenance of Kejaman linguistic and
cultural norms.
Keywords Kejaman, Indigenous language, Malaysia, Social network, Density, Multiplexity |
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