SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSES OF THE BRU- VAN KIEU LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT: USAGE AND SPEAKERS’ ATTITUDES

This paper presents a sociolinguistic study on the current use of language and script among the Bru- Van Kieu people in Vietnam, as well as their attitudes and aspirations towards the preservation of their ethnic language and script. The findings indicate a high level of bilingualism (Bru- Van Kieu-Vietnamese) among the Bru- Van Kieu community. Most Bru- Van Kieu individuals can use both their mother tongue and Vietnamese in daily communication, and they exhibit a strong loyalty towards their language. However, due to the increasing number of Bru- Van Kieu families who choose to speak only Vietnamese with their children, the Bru- Van Kieu language may face decline in the near future without timely intervention. Additionally, the teaching of the Bru- Van Kieu language cannot be highly effective as long as there are two existing scripts; thus, there is a need to promptly establish a unified script for the Bru- Van Kieu people. This situation is considered to have elements of writing conflict, observed among some ethnic minorities in Vietnam who have more than one writing system, such as the Hmong, Co Tu, Raglai, Cham, and Thai people in Vietnam. The content in the discussion section of the article serves as a basis for the Vietnamese government to take measures to enhance the effectiveness of the use of the Bru- Van Kieu language and script, contributing to the sustainable development of the country.