Tutong Digital Dictionary
Full Title : The Tutong Digital Dictionary project
Project Number : UBD/PNC2/2/RG/1(179)
Start Date : 28 February 2011
End Date : 27 February 2013
Project leader : Adrian Clynes
Team members : Noor Azam Haji-Othman, Ak Haji Ashrol Rahimy Bin Pengiran Damit, Cikgu Hj Ramlee Tunggal (Graduate Research Assistant)
Brief Outline
Bahasa Tutong, the language of one of Brunei'spuak jati ('original peoples'), is endangered. Most Tutong youngsters, while proud of their heritage, often speak only Brunei Malay and English. At the same time, there is very little published information about Bahasa Tutong, and only one small dictionary (DBPB 1991), currently out of print. Much more is needed. The last generation of truly fluent ‘traditional Tutong’ speakers, those with a rich understanding of the Tutong language, and of its culture and oral literature, are now increasingly elderly. There is a real danger that Bahasa Tutong could disappear with only inadequate records left of it. The aim of this project is to produce a dictionary of Bahasa Tutong, compiled using digital technologies, publishable on DVD, online or in book form. Its digital format would enable the inclusion of sound recordings giving clear pronunciations of headwords, as well as recordings of spoken example sentences. It could include digital photos (or other illustrations) of culturally important items.