Dayak Languages

March 19th, 2007, in News & Issues, by Patung

Many Dayak languages are nearing extinction.

Ethnic language expert Dedi Ary Aspar in Pontianak says the 26 endangered languages are located in West Kalimantan and are all sub-branches of the main Dayak language. None of them has more than 100,000 speakers and a number have only 500 or so speakers.

Dedi says the languages, some of which include Bukat, Punan, Kayaan, Sungkung and Konyeh, are threatened by modernisation and urbanisation, the lack of understanding among the people of the need for pluralism, or difference, the dominance of Indonesian, and the authorities’ lack of concern for small languages.

A number of West Kalimantan languages have already become extinct, including Embau in Kapuas Hulu.

Dedi advises that the government allow schools to give instruction in local languages as a way to preserve their use. [1]

It is estimated that one language becomes extinct in the world everyday. [2]


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5 Comments on “Dayak Languages”

  1. Ihaknt Says:
    March 19th, 2007 at 7:49 am

    Great! Maybe it should be replaced by Arabic so that the kids will go to heaven! Praise the Arabic culture, bugger our own identity! Hooray!

  2. Aluang anak Bayang Says:
    March 19th, 2007 at 8:19 am

    Enrol them in madrasses. Get them to wear Arabic robes. Invite Arab men over to impregnate their women under the cover of nikah mut’ah. They were headhunters before so they will make better jihadis warriors in jungle warfare. Hooray! Allahu Akhbar!

  3. Ari Says:
    March 20th, 2007 at 3:44 am

    “Dedi advises that the government allow schools to give instruction in local languages as a way to preserve their use”

    Have they no education in their local languages even at the primary school? I hear it is so throughout Indonesia, I mean, children are instructed in local languages at primary school at least.

  4. Panglima Buaya Says:
    January 27th, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    You bring Arab we make sure they loosed their head,Erm Actually we done that in Poso when they forced us to converted into their religion.Unfortunetly their religion not permit to eat pork so we rejected it 100%

  5. Tontoli Says:
    July 24th, 2008 at 9:47 am

    We support you 100% panglima buaya. We from Borneo unite to reject Arabian religion.
    They are sooo fanatic and cruel like Aluang anak Bayang. Shame on you.

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