Introduction

Abstract

There is an advertising slogan that is widely seen in Brunei, promoting the country as ‘A Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures’, and the subtitle of this book, ‘A Kingdom of Unexpected Linguistic Diversity’, makes a direct allusion to this slogan. We suggest that, just as there is an abundance of dense jungle in the country that represents a hugely important treasure trove of flora and fauna, at the same time the kingdom is home to a fascinating range of languages and patterns of linguistic usage that are equally worthy of detailed scrutiny. Furthermore, we firmly believe that celebrating and preserving linguistic diversity in a place such as Brunei is as important as maintaining the forests, for just as trees provide oxygen for us to breathe, linguistic diversity supplies the vital cultural energy that enables human communities to thrive.