Bahasa Rojak dalam Kalangan Penduduk di Sarawak

Abstract

This research on code-mixing in Sarawak studies the mixed language used by the various ethnic groups there namely the Malays, Ibans, Chinese and Melanaus in their day-to-day communication. Codemixing is equally as important as the local languages (Iban, Melanau, Chinese and the Sarawak Malay dialect). Code-mixing in Sarawak is more common in communication between different ethnic groups. Questionnaires were used to obtain all the information based on the framework of language choice and were then totalled according to the languages spoken in the community. This study was conducted in the town of Sarikei. The method selected has been adapted from Fishman, Asmah, Holmes and Chua Yan Piaw based on percentage frequency analysis. It was found that among the various ethnic groups in Sarawak there were two types of code-mixing: one involving the mixing of Malay and Iban, and the other of Malay and Melanau. However, the MalayIban mix is more common than the Malay-Melanau mix. The use of the Malay-Iban mixed language is predominant when compared to the use of the Malay-Melanau mix as this is the language of choice among the three biggest ethnic groups living there (the Malays, Ibans and Chinese) as compared with the Malay-Melanau mix which is used among the Malay and Melanau only.

Keywords: Sarawak, code-mixing, language use, language choice, relationship, multiethnic