KUCHING, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) is working with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) to carry out research and documentation of the tribal languages that are becoming extinct in the state.
DBP Director-General Dr Hazami Jahari said the tribal languages that were becoming extinct included those used by the Miriek, Narum and Penan tribes.
"Next year, we will set up a special task force at the Sarawak DBP branch to work with Unimas to carry out research activities to ensure these languages which are said to be on the verge of extinction as they are hardly spoken can be recorded and documented.
"To preserve tribal languages, even for those which are still widely spoken, DBP also publishes dictionaries of tribal languages such as the Iban, Melanau Mukah and Sarawak Malay,” he said when met after the opening of the state-level “Gerak Gempur Majalah Dalam Kelas Kembali ke Sekolah” programme here, today.
Dr Hazami said DBP also established cooperation with cultural associations to help with its research.
"This is to ensure the tribal languages can be preserved in the form of publications. Otherwise, the languages will just fade away and disappear,” he added.
He said the tribal languages needed to be preserved because they contributed to the richness of the national language, like the words “Randau” and “Ruai”.
-- BERNAMA
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