Handout photo shows the workshop in progress.
KUCHING (July 4): Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Sarawak has continued its work on Sarawak ethnic languages with the Sarawak Ethnic Groups General Data Enhancement Workshop and the state Terminology Committee meeting.
A total of 45 participants from Sarawak’s indigenous ethnic groups participated in the workshop officiated at by DBP Sarawak director Abang Haliman Abang Julai.
He said DBP Sarawak’s Language Construction and Research Unit has been working on the project since 2000.
“This project is a continuation of the Sarawak ethnic language entry data collection project that has been implemented since the 1980s and the format for the Sarawak Ethnic Language General Database (PDBUSS) project is implemented according to the lexical format,” he explained.
The main objectives of the database are to collect and document Sarawak’s ethnic languages, identify research partners who are native Sarawak ethnic speakers for language mapping projects, publish glossaries and dictionaries of Sarawak tribal languages, as well as assimilate Sarawak ethnic languages into Malay.
The Sarawak State Terminology Committee Meeting seeks to document Sarawak’s local cultural terms of wisdom, enrich the Malay language through the absorption of ethnic languages in Malaysia, disseminate the cultural heritage of Sarawak’s indigenous people, and to absorb Sarawak’s ethnic languages into Malay.
Among the ethnic groups present were speakers of Melanau Mukah, Oya-Dalat, Igan, Mato-Daro, Rajang, Kanowit, as well Seduan; Kejaman; Vaie; Lahanan; Kelabit; Lun Bawang; Bisaya; Remun; Iban; Berawan; Malay; Bidayuh; and Mierik.
Participants consisted of academics, ethnic culturalists, teachers, language and culture lovers, teachers and former teachers, ethnic researchers, as well as members of associations.
The workshop from July 1-3 was a pilot programme of DBP Sarawak to provide exposure to representatives from each race on the procedures of collecting tribal language entries.
This programme is a platform to introduce the methods of collection and acquisition of tribal language entries, writing methods, spelling, phonetics, homonyms, antonyms, and synonyms.
Participant Robin Junang said the workshop was very meaningful and significant because it showed him how to collect quarterly entries for the purpose of publishing the Melanau Mukah Word Register, which is currently under construction.