Languages of Brunei
Encyclopedia
There are a multitude of languages spoken in Brunei
. The official language of the state of Brunei is Melayu Brunei
. This came into force on 29 September 1959, with the signing of Brunei 1959 Constitution.
English
is also widely used as a business and working language. It is also the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education. Other languages spoken in Brunei include the Chinese, Indian and Native languages spoken by the minority ethnic groups.
(Brunei Malay) is the official standardized form of the Malay language
used in Brunei
. It is also spoken as lingua franca in some parts of East Malaysia
such as Federal Territory of Labuan, District of Limbang and Lawas (Sarawak) and District of Sipitang, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Papar (Sabah). It is spoken by about 266,000 people. There are calls to expand the use of the language in Brunei. Brunei Malay is quite divergent from standard Malay and the rest of the Malay dialects and is mostly mutually unintelligible. Brunei Malay is the official printed form and is used in all official Brunei government media.
, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is the standard language for the peoples of the Malay Archipelago
and is spoken as a lingua franca in Brunei. The official standard for the language, has been defined and agreed upon by the Language and Literature Bureau
s of Indonesia
, Malaysia and Brunei
. Standard Malay ia also accepted in the printed form and is used in all official Brunei government media as well.
ic Scholars in Brunei. The official religion of Brunei
is Islam
and as such, all adherents of the faith possess some proficiency in reading and speaking Arabic.
Arabic is also taught in schools, particularly religious schools, and also in institutes of higher learning. As of 2004, there are six Arabic schools and one religious teacher's college in Brunei.
minority in Brunei
speak a large number of the various Chinese languages and dialect
s. The Hokkien (Min Nan
) tongue predominates in the Brunei-Muara and Temburong districts, while Cantonese
and Hakka speakers are mostly concentrated in the Seria
and Kuala Belait
areas of the Belait
district. Other versions of Chinese spoken in Brunei include Hoisan
, Fuchow
and Hainanese.
Mandarin
is the language of instruction at the primary level in the private Chinese schools, and is taught as a subject at the secondary level. Mandarin is also used as the lingua franca
among the Chinese community.
n minority in Brunei
originates mostly from southern India. They are joined by a relatively large expatriate community, estimated at about 7500, from India
. Tamil
, Malayalam, Telugu
and Hindi
are some of the Indian languages spoken in Brunei.
stationed in Brunei. The language spoken by most of these soldiers is Gurkhali. There are Gurkhali languages services provided by Radio Television Brunei
and the British Forces Broadcasting Service
.
, Indonesian
and English
-speaking origins.
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
. The official language of the state of Brunei is Melayu Brunei
Melayu Brunei
Melayu Brunei is the official standardized form of the Malay language used in Brunei. It is also spoken as lingua franca in some parts of East Malaysia such as Federal Territory of Labuan, District of Limbang and Lawas and District of Sipitang, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Papar . It is spoken by...
. This came into force on 29 September 1959, with the signing of Brunei 1959 Constitution.
English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is also widely used as a business and working language. It is also the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education. Other languages spoken in Brunei include the Chinese, Indian and Native languages spoken by the minority ethnic groups.
Brunei Malay
The local dialect Melayu BruneiMelayu Brunei
Melayu Brunei is the official standardized form of the Malay language used in Brunei. It is also spoken as lingua franca in some parts of East Malaysia such as Federal Territory of Labuan, District of Limbang and Lawas and District of Sipitang, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Papar . It is spoken by...
(Brunei Malay) is the official standardized form of the Malay language
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
used in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
. It is also spoken as lingua franca in some parts of East Malaysia
East Malaysia
East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are...
such as Federal Territory of Labuan, District of Limbang and Lawas (Sarawak) and District of Sipitang, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Papar (Sabah). It is spoken by about 266,000 people. There are calls to expand the use of the language in Brunei. Brunei Malay is quite divergent from standard Malay and the rest of the Malay dialects and is mostly mutually unintelligible. Brunei Malay is the official printed form and is used in all official Brunei government media.
Standard Malay
The Malay languageMalay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is the standard language for the peoples of the Malay Archipelago
Malay Archipelago
The Malay Archipelago refers to the archipelago between mainland Southeastern Asia and Australia. The name was derived from the anachronistic concept of a Malay race....
and is spoken as a lingua franca in Brunei. The official standard for the language, has been defined and agreed upon by the Language and Literature Bureau
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka is the government body responsible for coordinating the use of the Malay language in Malaysia and Brunei.-History:...
s of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Malaysia and Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
. Standard Malay ia also accepted in the printed form and is used in all official Brunei government media as well.
Arabic
Arabic is the language of the Koran and is used by the IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic Scholars in Brunei. The official religion of Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
is Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and as such, all adherents of the faith possess some proficiency in reading and speaking Arabic.
Arabic is also taught in schools, particularly religious schools, and also in institutes of higher learning. As of 2004, there are six Arabic schools and one religious teacher's college in Brunei.
Chinese Languages
The ChineseOverseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
minority in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
speak a large number of the various Chinese languages and dialect
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
s. The Hokkien (Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
) tongue predominates in the Brunei-Muara and Temburong districts, while Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
and Hakka speakers are mostly concentrated in the Seria
Seria
Seria is a town in the Belait District of Brunei Darussalam. Its full name is Pekan Seria in full . Seria was originally known as Padang Berawa which is Wild Pigeon's Field in Malay. The name "Seria" comes from the river located very near where oil was first discovered in the area in 1929...
and Kuala Belait
Kuala Belait
This article refers to the town of Kuala Belait. For the mukim of the same name, please refer to Kuala Belait, Belait. For district, please see Belait district.Kuala Belait |Jawi]]: )is a town located in South-West of Brunei...
areas of the Belait
Belait
Belait can refer to either:* the Belait District of Brunei Darussalam.* Kuala Belait, the administrative town of the Belait District* the Belait River which flows through the Belait District of Brunei Darussalam....
district. Other versions of Chinese spoken in Brunei include Hoisan
Taishan dialect
Taishanese is a dialect of Yue Chinese. The dialect is closely related to Cantonese.Taishanese is spoken in the southern part of Guangdong Province in China, particularly in and around the city-level county of Taishan...
, Fuchow
Fuzhou dialect
Fuzhou dialect , also known as Foochow dialect, Foochow, Foochowese, Fuzhounese, or Fuzhouhua, is considered the standard dialect of Min Dong, which is a branch of Min Chinese mainly spoken in the eastern part of Fujian Province. Native speakers also call it ' , meaning the language spoken in...
and Hainanese.
Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
is the language of instruction at the primary level in the private Chinese schools, and is taught as a subject at the secondary level. Mandarin is also used as the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
among the Chinese community.
Indian Languages
The IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n minority in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
originates mostly from southern India. They are joined by a relatively large expatriate community, estimated at about 7500, from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Malayalam, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
are some of the Indian languages spoken in Brunei.
Nepali Languages
There is also a large contingent of Nepali soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Gurkha RiflesRoyal Gurkha Rifles
The Royal Gurkha Rifles is a regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Royal Gurkha Rifles are now the sole infantry regiment of the British Army Gurkhas...
stationed in Brunei. The language spoken by most of these soldiers is Gurkhali. There are Gurkhali languages services provided by Radio Television Brunei
Radio Television Brunei
Radio Televisyen Brunei is the state broadcaster of Brunei. Radio Brunei made its first broadcast on 2 May 1957, with a Television service starting in 1 March 1975...
and the British Forces Broadcasting Service
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
.
Expatriate Languages
Besides the expatriate Indians, Brunei also has a large expatriate community of FilipinoFilipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
, Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking origins.