Phonological Documentation of the Punan Language: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

The Punans are one of several indigenous communities in Sarawak, Borneo, having settled in the Kemena river basin, in Bintulu and in Belaga, at the upper reaches of the Rejang river. The total population of the Punans, recorded by the Punan National Association (PNA 2019) was 4790 in 2019, a number that will likely decrease over the years and without recourse to elavation. The Punan language is categorized as threatened (Asmah Omar, 2017; Ethnologue, 2019), suggesting that the number of its speakers has rapidly declined over many years. This paper presents a preliminary study on the phonological system of the Punan language, for the purpose of preserving the language. In this study, we adopt a descriptive approach, largely popularized by Bloomfield, and as such, we focus on the phonological features of the Punan language. In order to obtain Punan language data, we employed an open recording method, to video document informal speech and conversation. we revorded all language during face to face interactions with respondents. Ultlimately, in this study, we determined that the Punan language contains 18 consonants, six vowels, four diphthongs and two triphthongs.