In the first part of this thought paper, 4 we showed that, based on a survey conducted on 830 Brunei Malays, Bruneians are becoming increasingly anglophonic. This is especially true of the young Bruneians, who have indicated a preference to using English or at the very least, dual Malay-English, for their day-to-day interactions. One of the reasons offered for this language shift has been explained in terms of the country's education system. With the introduction of the Dwibahasa in the early 1980s, followed by the even more English-heavy SPN21 in 2009, Bruneians are now more adept in English, so much so that English is even considered as a first language by some. 5 Depending on where one situates himself on the socio-linguacultural continuum, this linguistic development will elicit varied reactions. To those who are familiar with the link between English and economics, specifically of the positive correlation between a population's English proficiency and a country's economic performance, 6 this news would be lauded as a sign of prosperity and development. On the other hand, to those who view language through the cultural prism, the dominance of English would be seen as imperialism all over again, albeit a linguistic one. 7 Indeed, concerns over the weakening and contamination of Malay as a consequence of English have always been a staple feature of the local newspapers. In 2010, the then Director of Language and Literature Bureau lamented over the deteriorating quality of Malay among Bruneian students. 8 In 2012, a dire warning was issued on the probable impending death 1
Recent findings on language use in Brunei Darussalam have indicated a growing inclination towards the co-use of Malay and English in both social and formal communication. Monolingual English use has also been reported, particularly among young Bruneians and in interactions with their peers. The exclusive use of English appears to be ubiquitous among Bruneians born around the time of the new millennium, the cohort known as Generation Z or zoomers. This chapter seeks to investigate the extent to which the claim of English exclusivity among Bruneian zoomers is true via audio recordings of social interactions between three young women. Informed by discussions of language and social interactions, we examine the zoomers’ perception of social identity through their language practices.
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