Abstract
State borders are the areas that are vulnerable to the degradation of national identity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes and the behavior of language use among the multi‐ethnic Indonesian of predominantly Dayak, Malay, and Chinese who resided on the Indonesia–Malaysia border. The present research applied a qualitative ethnographic approach to document and to describe how a group of multi‐ethnic communities participated in building their awareness, attitudes and practices of language as a national identity. The data were taken from 20 informants. They were teachers, students, local people, entrepreneurs, and state civil apparatus. The research found out that the ethnic groups on the border were highly aware of using Indonesian language as evidenced through a form of community involvement, volunteerism and social attitudes in civilizing Indonesian as the dominant language at the border. Their awareness was shown through their involvement, volunteerism, and social attitudes in developing Indonesian language as the dominant language in the border. It is argued that the involvement of all ethnic groups on the border affects positively on strengthening their attitudes and awareness in using Indonesian language.