This study aimed to determine the use of language in the family domain and the intergenerational language transmission among Bisaya ethnic students by gender. Researchers selected 205 participants in form 4, 5, and 6 from 3 secondary schools in Beaufort, Sabah, of which 115 girls and 90 boys. A field survey was conducted using two types of questionnaires adapted from Drummond (2010) and Fishman (1991). Survey data made use of percentage, mean, graded scale, and chi-square statistics. It was found that the choice of language in the family domain from both groups of students was 25% Bisaya language, Malay 75%. The mean 20.01 for language choice in the family domain by the girl group was higher than those of the boy group, 19.98. The level of intergenerational language transmission between parents and children selected by both groups of students was Grade 3, Endangered. About 51.06% from the boy group and 60.9% from the girl group had selected this scale. Grade 3, Endangered is interpreted as the Bisaya language is used by most generations of parents and above. Parents can still speak the language to their children, but their children usually do not respond to Bisaya. The researchers accepted the null hypothesis that there was no significant difference in intergenerational language transmission based on gender. The intergenerational language transmission factor is a major cause of language endangerment. This factor was founded by Fishman (1991) which has been recognized as the gold standard of language vitality by the UNESCO language expert group.

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan daya hidup bahasa etnik Bisaya Muslim di Beaufort, Sabah. Sebanyak 205 pelajar menengah atas dari tiga buah sekolah telah dipilih sebagai peserta melalui pensampelan rawak. Pengkaji menggunakan enam set soal selidik daripada model UNESCO. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bilangan penutur mutlak bahasa Bisaya dan transmisi bahasa antara generasi adalah terancam. Bahasa Bisaya dituturkan oleh kebanyakan generasi ibu bapa dan ke atas. Trend dalam domain penggunaan bahasa juga telah berkurangan. Walaupun bahasa Bisaya masih digunakan di rumah, bahasa Melayu yang dominan mula menular ke dalam domain keluarga. Respons terhadap domain dan media baharu masih bertahan manakala bahan untuk pendidikan dan literasi bahasa Bisaya ditafsirkan sebagai wujud dalam bentuk bahan bertulis yang hanya bermanfaat untuk sebahagian ahli masyarakat sahaja. Bahasa Bisaya mungkin ada kepentingan simbolik tetapi bukanlah sebahagian daripada kurikulum sekolah. Kesimpulannya, realiti daya hidup bahasa Bisaya Muslim menggambarkan prasyarat lazim ke arah bahasa terancam seperti tertera dalam model UNESCO meskipun penutur belum beralih ke bahasa lain. Pengkaji menyarankan agar kerangka etnolinguistik revitalisasi bahasa Bisaya di Beaufort, Sabah diimplementasikan sebagai projek perintis bagi program pemuliharaan bahasa.