Page Type: languageBajau, West Coast | Ethnologue

BDR ISO 639-3

Bajau, West Coast

Sama Autonym

A language of Malaysia

ISO 639
bdr
Alternate Names
Bajau, Bajau Sama, Land Bajaw, West Coast Bajao, West Coast Bajaw
Autonym
Sama
Population
Ethnic population: 210,000 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 10,700.
Location:
Sabah: Kudat district, Banggi Island, Telutu’ village; Pitas district, south Marudu bay, mainly Dalima’, Jambangan, Kanibungan, Layag-Layag, Mapan-Mapan, Mausar, Mengkapon, Mengkubau Laut, Pantai Laut, and Sibayan Laut villages; west coast scattered from Kuala Penyu to Kudat districts, mainly Kota Belud and Tuaran towns.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Barito, Sama-Bajaw, Sulu-Borneo, Borneo Coast Bajaw
Dialects
Kota Belud, Putatan, Papar, Banggi, Sandakan, Pitas, Kawang. More structural diversity than other Borneo languages. Related to but distinct from East Coast Bajau languages of Malaysia and the Philippines, and Indonesian Bajau [bdl] (1977 K. Pallesen). Less than 65% intelligibility with Southern Sama [ssb]. Papar dialect used in national broadcasting. May be more than 1 language.
Typology
SVO and VSO word orders; 3 voice system (actor voice, undergoer voice, ‘true passive’).
Language Use
All domains except Education. Some young people, all adults. Some youth delay using the language until their early teens, when they are driven by social expectations of adulthood if they stay in the village. Positive attitudes. All also use Sabah Malay [msi]. A few also use English [eng]. Also use Mapun [sjm]. Also use Tatana [txx]. Used as L2 by Brunei [kxd], Bugis [bug], Iranun [ilm], Kadazan Dusun [dtp], Lotud [dtr], Mapun [sjm], Papar [dpp], Southern Sama [ssb].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 20%. Literacy rate in L2: 80% Standard Malay [zsm]. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Agency: Persatuan Bahasa dan Budaya Bajau Sama Sabah (BSBB).
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bajau, West Coast
Writing
Latin script [Latn], developed in about 1998.
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Bajau, West Coast
User Population
10,700 in Brunei (2019).
Location
Scattered.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Brunei

Map

Location: Sabah: Kudat district, Banggi Island, Telutu’ village; Pitas district, south Marudu bay, mainly Dalima’, Jambangan, Kanibungan, Layag-Layag, Mapan-Mapan, Mausar, Mengkapon, Mengkubau Laut, Pantai Laut, and Sibayan Laut villages; west coast scattered from Kuala Penyu to Kudat districts, mainly Kota Belud and Tuaran towns.