The English History of brunnei
Brunei was a British protectorate between 1888 and 1984. The official language of the country is Malay. The first sultan to speak English was Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam II.When the Japanese occupied Brunei during World War II (1941-1945), English was banned, and Malay was used as the language of administration. After the return of the post-war British protectorate, a constitution was formed and stipulated that the official language of the country was Malay. However, English was still allowed to be used for official purposes for a few years.Today, English is still used along with Malay in Brunei's education system and in the oil and gas industry, which is the country's main source of export.
The Current Status and Functions of English in Brunei Society
Today, English has an important status in Bruneian society. English is widely used in education, business, and official communication. It also plays a role in facilitating international relations and tourism in Brunei. In addition, English has a role in American influence in it. Malay remains the main language of the people, but English has an important role in various aspects of daily life.
The features of English spoken/written by Bruneians
The English spoken by Bruneians, called Brunei English (BrunE), has specific features that are influenced by many factors, such as local language, culture and outside influences. These features include pronunciation, grammar, words, as well as influences from the Bruneian language and culture. Bruneians often speak more than one language, such as Malay and Brunei Malay, so there is a mixture of words from these different languages in daily speech.
Morphosyntax:
1.Count/Non-Count Noun Variability 2.Use of the -s Morpheme
3.Placement of -s in Compound Nouns 4.Addition of -s after Modal
5.Addition of [s] to Abstract Nouns Discourses
Examples of discourse features in Bruneian English include the use of various particles (such as 'au,' 'bah,' 'tah,' 'kan,' 'ah') which are found in Bruneian Malay. One of them is the particle 'bah' which has multiple functions and serves as a Bruneian identity marker that is maintained when speaking in English, such as in the sentences "Bah. Please sit down" or "It's so difficult bah."
Brunei English in education
Brunei underwent a change from the Malay-English bilingual education policy to the SPN-21 (21st Century State Education System) policy. SPN-21 (21st Century State Education System) is an education policy in Brunei introduced in 2009. Under the SPN-21 policy, math and science subjects are taught in English from the first year of primary school, while Malay is used for Malay language subjects and Islamic religious knowledge. The aim was to introduce English earlier in education to improve students' English proficiency. However, this policy has also drawn debate regarding the imbalance between the use of Malay and English in the education curriculum.
History of Singapore English
The history of English in Singapore dates back to the 17th century when European powers colonized several countries in the Southeast Asian region. In January 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed in Singapore, which marked the beginning of the long relationship between Britain and Singapore, as well as Singapore's growth as a thriving trading port.
English education in Singapore
In Singapore, English education began during the British colonial period. This education was initially only for the elite. But in 1867, the government re-emphasized the importance of learning English.
After World War II, English was further prioritized in the education system, as it was thought to help create unity among Singapore's diverse ethnic groups. Since then, English has been an important part of education in Singapore.
Singapore English as the Singaporean mother tongue
English can be considered the mother tongue in Singapore. Today, Singapore has three official mother tongues, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, for each of its ethnic communities. In Singapore, many children are introduced to several languages by their parents. Many young people in Singapore, especially the highly educated, use English more often than their mother tongue which is considered a "heritage" language. In fact, when they become parents, they tend to prefer using English with their children, rather than their mother tongue. This changes how language is passed down to the next generation.
