Brunei-Muara - Issues pertaining to dialects are still talked about and relevant in this day and age as the International Seminar on Austronesian Dialects (Saddan) III to Brunei Darussalam highlighted yesterday at the Chancellor Hall and facilitated by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).
Present as the guest of honour to officially launch the seminar at the Chancellor Hall and facilitated by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Mohammad Hj Daud. Also in attendance were UBD`s Vice Chancellor, Dato Dr Hj Ismail Hj Duraman, Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretary and senior government officers.
Pehin Dato Hj Mohammad said that language is one of Allah`s (SWT) greatest gifts to mankind as a communication tool so that a strong and harmonious life can be achieved. "Possessing language is more than simply understanding speech symbols but also important elements that cannot be separated from culture, spreading and passing down knowledge from one generation to the next," he explained.
"It is an important cultural component that plays a significant role in empowering civilisations or the behaviour of a nation."
Austronesia spans a wide geographical area from Taiwan in the Northeastern Island in the East, New Zealand in the South, and Malagasi Island in the West. And within this vast area, the Malay language is one of the languages with Austronesian roots.
The minister called for increased efforts in defending the status of languages in their respective homes. "The quality of results from researches in Malay has given significant and relevant insights. So more intensive research integrated in other, disciplines that encompass language, literature, culture, sociology, geography and history needs to be done," he said.
He also highlighted the fate of a number of dialects on the brink of extinction. He attributed it to the result of urbanisation, modernisation and the effect of globalisation that has struck every corner of the world today. These, in addition to a weakened attachment to such priceless `possessions` have brought about the need to preserve the native tongue wholeheartedly.
With those intentions, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports through relevant agencies such as the Language and Literature Bureau, museums and Brunei Historical Centre are ready to cooperate with UBD. Through its Malay Language and Linguistics Department under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UBD continues to obtain new findings regarding Austronesian dialects in Borneo. Those research projects can then be brought to national, regional and international attention through seminars, conferences as well as publications. This year also sees attendance from several prominent linguists who participated in the first seminar in 1996 such as Prof Hj Abdullah Hassan, Prof JT Collins, Prof Hamid Mahmood, Prof Madya Dr Noriah Mohamed and Prof Madya Dr Rohani Mohd Yusof.
The reason for the large number this year was attributed to the increased awareness of the survival of Austronesian languages among residents of the region.
"It also reflects UBD`s efforts in standing out internationally."
Until January 26, 2008, Saddan III will host three main working papers at the Chancellor Hall and over 70 papers delivered in parallel later in the day.
Source: www.brudirect.com (26 Januari 2008)
