The Vitality of Minority Languages in Malaysia

This article looks at the ethnolinguistic vitality of some of the most important language varieties spoken in Malaysia, focusing on two languages as case studies: Bidayuh and Mah Meri, respectively the language of one of the indigenous groups in East Malaysia and the language of one of the indigenous groups of peninsular Malaysia. After a general introduction to the sociolinguistic situation in Malaysia and to the scales used to measure ethnolinguistic vitality with a focus on EGIDS, the one used in this article, there follows an analysis of the factors accounting for the high vitality of the languages chosen as case studies. The article closes with a discussion of how these factors could be used to help maintain other minority languages.