THE REVIVAL AND SURVIVAL OF BIDAYUH LANGUAGE.

On 14 August, I posted an issue on the Bidayuh Graduate Association (BGA) Facebook. Surprisingly up to 10.28pm today it hits 143 comments. This shows that WE LOVE OUR LANGUAGE. All sorts of comments regarding our language are put forward. All agree that we need to do something about our language. The beauty is the comments started to use the different "types" of Bidayuh languages. Here Amang Alui would like to give us something to ponder, may be over the weekend. What should we use; Bidayuh "language" or "dialect"? Well let me give you my opinion, according to the world of linguistics.

In linguistics, "language" and "dialect" are two different things. "language" is used in official function and "dialect" is its variation. For example, we have the standard BM, which is used officially and the other state Malays are considered as dialect, for example the Kuching Malay dialect, the Kabong Malay and Malays in other states.

"Language" is usually labelled as "standard", means, the variety which forms the basis of printed media, books and is taught in schools. It is associated with education and broadcasting in public context. It is more easily describe in terms of written language, ie. vocabulary, spelling and grammar. 

"Dialects" are having distinc features of grammar and vocabulary between each other. "Dialects" exist according to regions. English language itself, both in th UK and the US is very much divided by different regional dialects: Northern dialect in the US is spoken in Upper Midwest (known as Northern dialect) which includes Minnesota, Dakota and Northern Iowa (Yule, 2000). This is also found in the UK, it has the Irish, British Scottish as the major dialects and even further broken down into the different parts of London.

Internationally, English is also divided into different accents (always misunderstood as slang), British, American, Canadian and Australian. These are the English speaking people. So, what's the standard English? BBC? CNN?

The study of this aspect is getting complex if I dwell into isoglosses and dialect boundarise. So, Amang Alui stop being a linguist here.

Back to Bidayuh...language or dialect? Considering the definition, theories and examples, we don't have the "standard Bidayuh language" unlike the Iban. Iban is taught in schools and it has a body to conduct studies and document its literature, devise the syllabus and train their teachers. It has a proper written literature; text books, magazine (Pegari is one) and a foundation (Tun Jugah) to care for its survival. But, they are still able to maintain the different dialects. Bidayuh only relies on DBNA and lately we have REDEEMS. So, none of the Bidayuh: Bukar, Sadung, Biatah, Pinyewa, Jagoi, Singgai and Salako fit to be considered as standard or official and therefore considered as a "language".

On the other hand, none of it fits into "dialect" too. This is because we don't have the standard form. If we want to consider the different versions as "language", it is inaccurate because we are merely divided by regions and we share 80-98% similarity (except Salako). We understand each other well even if we don't use English or BM. The BGA facebook shows this.

Well, only if we have the standard Bidayuh, than we can have "language" and "dialects".  Personally, I disagree if we have one standard language to be taught as Bidayuh "language" because it would "kill" the other "dialects". Furthermore, if it is not planned properly, we would come out with a rojak version.Just to make all the Bidayuh regions happy, we take bits and pieces from all the areas and "WALLA! WE HAVE THE BIDAYUH LANGUAGE". Easy but dangerous solution.

Disturbing your weekend eh? Well...it's worth to ponder and consider. We don't have to quarrel among ourselves just to show who is dominant and superior. We just leave it as it is. Just do more work to revive and preserve each dialects for our survivor. Do as what has been done by the Singgai with their REDEEMS and CMPC and the Jagoi with their Bung Bratak. Don't step on others in order to go up the ladder. Support each other. TOGETHER WE REVIVE OUR LEGACY! Bidapud lagi...