Zoomers in Brunei Darussalam: Language Use, Social Interaction and Identity

Abstract

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.