The Use and Status of Language in Brunei Darussalam

This book provides an overview of the linguistic situation in Brunei, including a historical overview and a synopsis of the current education system. It investigates pronunciation, particularly the intelligibility of Brunei English and the vowels of Brunei Mandarin, and it also describes the acquisition of Malay grammar, Malay politeness strategies, the use of language online, language in the courts, a comparison of Malay and English newspapers, the language of shop signs, the status of Dusun, and lastly, English literature in Brunei.

This book provides an overview of the linguistic situation in Brunei, including a historical overview and a synopsis of the current education system. It investigates pronunciation, particularly the intelligibility of Brunei English and the vowels of Brunei Mandarin, and it also describes the acquisition of Malay grammar, Malay politeness strategies, the use of language online, language in the courts, a comparison of Malay and English newspapers, the language of shop signs, the status of Dusun, and lastly, English literature in Brunei.

1 Introduction.- Section A: Language Status.- 2 The Language Situation in Brunei Darussalam.- 3 The State of Indigenous Languages in Brunei.- 4 The Language of Shop Signs in a Modern Shopping Centre in Brunei.- Section B: Pronunciation and Grammar.- 5 The Role of Fast Speech in Misunderstandings in Brunei English.- 6 A Comparison of the Vowels of Brunei Mandarin and Beijing Mandarin.- 7 Comprehension of Aspect Markers by Brunei Malay L1 learners.- Section C: Language Choice.- 8 The Attitudes of University Students towards their Native and Non-native English Speaking Lecturers in Brunei.- 9 Patterns of Language Choice and Use in Interactions among Foreign Workers in Brunei Darussalam: A Preliminary Study.- 10 Courtoom Discourse: A Case Study of the Linguistic Strategies in Brunei Courtrooms.- Section D: Discourse.- 11 Politeness Strategies of Bruneian Malay Youths in Compliment Speech Acts.- 12 The Discourse of Online Texts in Brunei: Extending Bruneian English.- 13 Identity Representation in Press Releases of a Brunei-based Banking Institution.- 14 Similar Story, Different Angles? A Comparative Study of 'Hard News' Texts in the Malay and English Print Media in Brunei Darussalam.- Section E: Literature and Language in Education.- 15 Contemporary English and Malay Literature in Brunei: A Comparison.- 16 Bilingual Education Revisited: The Role of Ugama Schools in the Spread of Bilingualism.- 17 Changing Patterns of Education in Brunei: How Past plans have shaped Future Trends.