PRESERVATION AND REVITALISATION OF THE

KELABIT LANGUAGEBy Lucy Bulan

Strong foundation in the mother tongue gives children:

good grounding in their own mother tongue an advantage in performance in schools. However, majority of the world’s languages

are classified as “endangered” today, and Kelabit is one of them. Based on the Fishman’s Scale, the Kelabit Language right now is at Stage 7.

Why revitalisation? Preservation?

Fishman’s ScaleStage 8 Stage 7 Stage 6 Stage 5 Stage 4 Stage 3 Stage 2 Stage 1

So few fluent speakers that the community needs to re-establish language norms (may require linguistic experts)

Older people use the language enthusias-tically but children are not learning it.

Language and culture socializaion takes place in home and community

Language and culture socialization involves extensive literacy; usually including use of the language in schooling.

The language is used in formal education, along with the official language.

The language is used in the work-places of the larger society.

The language is used in lower gov’t levels and local mass media.

The language is used at upper gov’t level.

Adapted from Fishman, Joshua (1991). Reversing Language Shift. Clevedon: Multilingual

Why the necessity for keeping the language

alive?

It is clearly stated here that the law recognizes and acknowledges that our language is a symbol of our identity. Proficiency in the language is a requirement.

The Question of Identity

Language, culture and customs are intertwined. Thus, when we lose our language, we are in grave danger of losing our culture.

The Question of Culture

teaching Kelabit starting with pre-schoolers.

Tawaq Raut

Important to have a STANDARD spelling system1. For Teaching purposes2. For Writing purposes3. For Dictionary Use

Spelling System

Kadi’ - kadiq ?? (only at end of words)Kedi’it – kedi’it ?? (keep (‘) when in middle of

words)Telu’a’ – telu’aq ??Kera’i’ – kera’iq ??“Mula’ nuba’ sila’ Sina’ kenen telu’a’”– Mulaq

nubaq silaq Sinaq kenen telu’aq. (Note triple quotation marks)

 Why not use (k)?Pika’ –(Pikaq) – Pikak ?? Ula’ –(Ulaq) –

ulak ??Rera’ –(Reraq)– rerak ?? Turu’ –(Turuq) –

turuk ??

1. Glottal stops – replace (‘ ) with (q) ????

Bere – bere – berey ??Dele – dele - deley ??Tunge – tunge - tungey ??Mine - Mine - miney ??Peruwek – peruweyk??Keh – keyh ??

2. Use of (ey) for e-pepet.

Mine tunge ideh malem – Miney tungey ideh malem.

Ken inan tungen teh dele bere lun Pa’ Ukat ngen tauh?

Ken inan tungen teh deley berey lun Pa’ Ukat ngen tauh?

Bare – bere – berey ??Dale – dele – deley ??Bara – bera ??Banah – beneh, baneh ??Sanape – senapey ??

3. Use of (e) shwa instead of (a)

Ieh – iyeh ??Liat – liyat ??Muit – muwit ??Puet – puwet??Ai’ - Aiq – ayiq??

4. Use of (y) or (w) for slides.

Sinemuq – senemuq ?? - Go by root word?? – Sinaq??

Sinipa – senipa ?? Sinuped – senuped ??Standardise?

5. Use of ( sin) or (sen)

Which one to use as standard Kelabit?

Go separate ways? Pick one but allow the other to use it according to what is normal for them?

6. Question of karuh Lun La’ud and karuh Lun Dayeh.