English use in Brunei: Investigating the Gen Z

ABSTRACT

Neoteric studies on the sociolinguistics of Brunei point to a changing linguistic scene that sees English growing in terms of popularity and importance particularly among young Bruneians. So popular is the language that some are also claiming to speak it as their mother tongue. This article seeks to explore this matter further by investigating contemporaneous English use vis-à-vis Malay in Brunei among Generation Z Bruneians. The findings reveal that young Bruneians are highly competent multilinguals, who hold English in high regard. Consequently, they claim English to be the language they are most proficient in. However, what is most intriguing is their association of English with the Bruneian identity, something that was almost unheard of before.

KEYWORDS:

• Brunei English
• Generation Z
• language use
• English in Brunei
• multilingualism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. JPMC is an acronym for Jerudong Park Medical Centre, which is a private, fee-paying hospital with a workforce that is largely international.