Language vitality among the Orang Asli of Malaysia: the case of the Mah Meri on Telo’ Gunjeng (Carey Island, Selangor)
-
Paolo Coluzzi
,
Patricia Nora Riget
Abstract
After a general introduction to the aboriginals of Peninsular Malaysia, the so-called Orang Asli, this article introduces the ethnic group upon which the research focused: the Mah Meri, a Senoi group living in the state of Selangor, not far from Kuala Lumpur. The research is based on a survey on language use and attitudes carried out in four different Mah Meri villages on Carey Island. The results are then analysed in general terms and compared with those provided by similar research carried out among the Bidayuh, a Dayak ethnic group in Borneo, showing a rather high degree of vitality for the Mah Meri language, even though lower than in the case of the Bidayuh. In contrast, when the answers given by the younger speakers of the language are compared with those provided by older speakers, a pattern of slow but steady ongoing language shift clearly emerges. The article closes with some general considerations on the state of linguistic and cultural endangerment Orang Asli are facing, including further comparisons between the results of this research and those of another study conducted in a different Mah Meri village and some suggestions on possible revitalization strategies. The evidence seems to show a relatively high degree of endangerment for the languages spoken by the Orang Asli in general, and for the Mah Meri in particular.
Acknowledgements
We would like to give our thanks to our research assistant Beh Yn Jiou, who processed all the data using SPSS, and particularly to Jahasmida Mahamad and Priscilla Bt. Jali, two local young Mah Meri girls, who helped us during our field research, particularly in approaching people and translating the questions for those who were not proficient in Malay.
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Appendix. Questionnaire survey results
| Mah Meri | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gender: | ||
| Male | 35 | 40.7 % |
| Female | 50 | 58.1 % |
| NR | 1 | 1.2 % |
| Religion: | ||
| Mah Meri | 83 | 96.5 % |
| Christian | 1 | 1.2 % |
| Muslim | 2 | 2.3 % |
| NR | 6 | 2.3 % |
| Education | ||
| None | 17 | 19.8 % |
| Primary | 36 | 41.9 % |
| Secondary | 29 | 33.7 % |
| Higher | 2 | 2.3 % |
| NR | 2 | 2.3 % |
| 1) You speak more fluently: | ||
| Malay | 4 | 4.7 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 54 | 62.8 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 26 | 30.2 % |
| Other | 2 | 2.3 % |
| 2) What is your first language/mother tongue? | ||
| Malay | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Mah Meri | 79 | 91.9 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Other | 3 | 3.5 % |
| 3) With regard to Mah Meri: | ||
| You can understand it | 83 | 96.5 % |
| NR | 3 | 3.5 % |
| 4) Do you feel proud of speaking Mah Meri? | ||
| Yes | 80 | 93.0 % |
| No | 4 | 4.7 % |
| It depends | 1 | 1.2 % |
| NR | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 5) Which language do you normally use within the family? | ||
| Malay | 3 | 3.5 % |
| Mah Meri | 66 | 76.7 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 14 | 16.3 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 1 | 1.2 % |
| Other | 2 | 2.3 % |
| 6) Which language do/did you normally use with your grandparents? | ||
| Malay | 4 | 4.7 % |
| Mah Meri | 75 | 87.2 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 4 | 4.7 % |
| Other | 2 | 2.3 % |
| NR | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 7) Which language do/did you normally use with your parents? | ||
| Malay | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Mah Meri | 70 | 81.4 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 11 | 12.8 % |
| Other | 3 | 3.5 % |
| 8) Which language do you normally use with your siblings? | ||
| Malay | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Mah Meri | 59 | 68.6 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 20 | 23.3 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Other | 3 | 3.5 % |
| 9) Which language do you normally use with your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend? | ||
| Malay | 5 | 5.8 % |
| Mah Meri | 51 | 59.3 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 16 | 18.6 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 1 | 1.2 % |
| Other | 2 | 2.3 % |
| NR | 11 | 12.8 % |
| 10) Which language do you normally use with your children? | ||
| Malay | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Mah Meri | 41 | 47.7 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 17 | 19.8 % |
| Other | 3 | 3.5 % |
| NR | 23 | 26.7 % |
| 11) Which language do you normally use with your grandchildren? | ||
| Malay | 14 | 16.3 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 10 | 11.6 % |
| Other | 2 | 2.3 % |
| NR | 60 | 69.8 % |
| 12) Which languages do you normally use with your friends? | ||
| Malay | 6 | 7.0 % |
| Mah Meri | 46 | 53.5 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 31 | 36.0 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 2 | 2.3 % |
| Other | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 13) Which languages do you normally use with your neighbours? | ||
| Malay | 4 | 4.7 % |
| Mah Meri | 63 | 73.3 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 19 | 22.1 % |
| 14) Which languages do you normally use when you go shopping locally? | ||
| Malay | 28 | 32.6 % |
| Mah Meri | 17 | 19.8 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 39 | 45.3 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 2 | 2.3 % |
| 15) Which languages do you normally use with the doctor? | ||
| Malay | 82 | 95.3 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 3 | 3.5 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 16) Which languages do you normally use in public offices? | ||
| Malay | 82 | 95.3 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 3 | 3.5 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 17) Which languages do you normally use with your work/class mates? | ||
| Malay | 23 | 26.7 % |
| Mah Meri | 14 | 16.3 % |
| Malay and Mah Meri | 25 | 29.1 % |
| Malay, Mah Meri and English | 4 | 4.7 % |
| NR | 20 | 23.3 % |
| 18) Which languages do you normally use with the police? | ||
| Malay | 86 | 100 % |
| 19) Is the Mah Meri spoken by older people approximately the same as that spoken by younger people? | ||
| Yes | 55 | 64.0 % |
| No | 30 | 34.9 % |
| NR | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 20) If not, how is it different? | ||
| Younger people use more Malay (or English) words and structures | 17 | 19.7 % |
| Younger people pronounce Mah Meri differently | 7 | 8.1 % |
| Younger people use more Malay (or English) words and pronounce Mah Meri differently | 5 | 5.8 % |
| NR | 1 | 1.2 % |
| 21) Would you like to learn/improve your Mah Meri? | ||
| Yes | 67 | 77.9 % |
| No | 7 | 8.1 % |
| It depends | 10 | 11.6 % |
| NR | 2 | 2.3 % |
| 22) Should Mah Meri be officially protected? | ||
| Yes | 75 | 87.2 % |
| No | 7 | 8.1 % |
| NR | 4 | 4.7 % |
| 23) Should Mah Meri be studied at school? | ||
| Yes, compulsory | 42 | 48.8 % |
| Yes, optional | 32 | 37.2 % |
| No, it should not be studied | 9 | 10.5 % |
| NR | 3 | 3.5 % |
| 24) Should a periodical in Mah Meri be available to the community? | ||
| Yes, all in it | 21 | 24.4 % |
| Yes, some articles in it | 58 | 67.4 % |
| No | 7 | 8.1 % |
| 25) Should there be radio programmes in Mah Meri? | ||
| Yes | 82 | 95.3 % |
| No | 4 | 4.7 % |
| 26) In about 10 years’ time do you think Mah Meri will be spoken less than now? | ||
| Yes | 39 | 45.3 % |
| No | 13 | 15.1 % |
| More or less the same | 34 | 39.5 % |
©2017 by De Gruyter Mouton
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Introduction: understanding language management and multilingualism in Malaysia
- Language planning for Malay in Malaysia: A case of failure or success?
- When blinkers come off: Undergraduate students’ performance at simulated job interviews
- Malaysian Mandarin variation with regard to Mandarin globalization trend: Issues on language standardization
- Family language policy by Hakkas in Balik Pulau, Penang
- Indigenous language development in East Malaysia
- Language vitality among the Orang Asli of Malaysia: the case of the Mah Meri on Telo’ Gunjeng (Carey Island, Selangor)
- Thirty years of French language planning in Malaysia: From individual attempt to national strength
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Introduction: understanding language management and multilingualism in Malaysia
- Language planning for Malay in Malaysia: A case of failure or success?
- When blinkers come off: Undergraduate students’ performance at simulated job interviews
- Malaysian Mandarin variation with regard to Mandarin globalization trend: Issues on language standardization
- Family language policy by Hakkas in Balik Pulau, Penang
- Indigenous language development in East Malaysia
- Language vitality among the Orang Asli of Malaysia: the case of the Mah Meri on Telo’ Gunjeng (Carey Island, Selangor)
- Thirty years of French language planning in Malaysia: From individual attempt to national strength
