Language shift and language maintenance among the Bidayuh younger generation at Kampung Semeba, Kuching, Sarawak / Beatrice Paul Diring

The Bidayuh people in Kampung Semeba are in the process of assimilating themselves into the 21st Century through the world of globalization. These changes create new challenges for them and their dialects, for they have to master the prominent languages like Bahasa Malaysia and English for better prospect in socio status, economy, education, harmonious relations with other ethnic groups and political stability. In the pursuit, the Bidayuh of Kampung Semeba slowly shift their indigenous language to the dominant language. Thus,the research aims to investigate factors that possibly contribute to language shift among the Bidayuh community in Kampung Semeba. This study employs qualitative and quantitative methods. The study reveals that the language policy such as Bahasa Malaysia, English and other dominant languages like Sarawak Local Malay Dialect and Iban Language hasten the people of Kampung Semeba to shift their language. The study is significant especially to the younger generation as they were found to use a lot of borrowed words from other languages.