The Southern Kurdish (Kermashani Dialect) Status Use in Kermanshah: Language Maintenance or Shift?

Language change among multilingual societies is considered as an important issue. Native speakers of indigenous languages are willing to acquire prestigious languages. The tendency in bi/multilingual context in Kermanshah to use Persian can threaten the survival of the Southern Kurdish (Kermashani dialect). This study is going to examine whether the speakers are maintaining their native language or shifting. The hypothesis is that Kurdish usage has declined in various domains specially among the youth as they are increasingly shifting to Persian. To find out, 384 Participants in 3 groups: under 20, 20-50 and over 50 were selected by simple random sampling to fill up the questionnaire. On the basis of The Domain Analysis Theory of Fishman (1966) in which language domains as social structures are used, the data were collected and were analyzed by SPSS software. The findings maintained that in family domain Kurdish usage is less than in office and Marketplaces domains and the extent of Kurdish learning as the first language has declined. On the other hand, the acquisition of Persian as the first language in the youngest group has unexpectedly raised more than 10 times compared to the other 2 older groups. The findings signify an accelerating language shift in Kermanshah.
 
Extended Abstract
1.Introduction
The development of technology and communication accompanied by social, cultural, political and economic changes have urged the native speakers of local languages to acquire and use official and prestigious languages. So, language shift among bi/multilingual societies is an issue of global concern. This tendency which is the case for Iranian native languages and dialects, can really weaken their status. Kermashani Kurdish, a variety of the Kurdish language, has long been spoken in Kermanshah in the west of Iran. These days, its usage has declined in various domains and Kurdish acquisition as a mother tongue has seriously decreased especially among the youth. This can threaten its survival in Kermanshah. The purpose of the current research is to provide some information on the Southern Kurdish (Kermashani dialect) status use and the extent of language change in Kermanshah. It also tries to evaluate the speakers’ attitudes toward their native language and investigate the effect of social factors on its usage. The main question raised is whether the Kurdish speakers in Kermanshah maintain their indigenous language or shift to Persian. The hypothesis is that the Southern Kurdish usage is decreasing in various domains, especially among the youth, since they are shifting to Persian Language.
 2.Theoretical framework
Theoretically, this research is in the framework of The Domain Analysis of Fishman (1966) through which the language use can be measured based on setting, participants, or interlocutors in some language domains such as family, school, office, street & marketplaces, religion and art & hobbies.
3.Methodology
In this descriptive - analytical research, the domains of family, street and marketplaces, office / work, school, religion, art & hobbies were regarded for investigation. The current study describes and analyzes the data collected through a questionnaire including 32 questions. It has investigated the usage of Kermashani Kurdish and Persian in the domains mentioned and the speakers’ attitude towards these languages. For this purpose, 384 subjects (male and female) were selected by Simple Random Sampling to fill up the questionnaire. The participants were equally divided into 3 age groups (under 20, 20- 50 and over 50 years old). The classified tables and diagrams of data were prepared through SPSS software and then were described and analyzed.
4.Results & Discussion
The results indicated that 60/68 percent of the participants have acquired Kurdish as their first language, but in the youngest group just 28 percent have acquired Kurdish as their first language. Whereas, Persian language learning as the first language in this group has, unexpectedly, raised more than 10 times compared to the oldest age group. As a result, the language for communication with the family members was a function of participants’ age. For example, 61 percent of the younger group used Kurdish for talking to their grandparents. On the other hand, 49 percent of this group spoke with their parents in Kurdish. During communicating with their younger brothers and sisters, only 7/8 percent of them use Kurdish. At school domain, the average of 81/5 percent of the students in schoolyards and 83 percent with the teachers in classroom communicate in Persian. As for the office and street & marketplaces domains, the usage of language demonstrates the general dominance of Kurdish, since 63 percent of the participants use Kurdish in talking to clerks at their office. Facing a doctor at his/her office, or a receptionist, 63 and 83/9 percent of them apply Kurdish, respectively. In conversing with their neighbors and a taxi / bus driver, the addressees Kurdish usage were 63/8 and 71/6 percent, respectively. Nevertheless, Kurdish usage is severely decreasing in these two domains among the youth. As an example, only 39 percent of them converse with neighbors in Kurdish. The domains of religion and art are subject oriented rather than participants or situation. Although 64 percent of the questioned persons in 20 -50 group prefer Kurdish to Persian in music, 35 percent of the youngest group prefer Kurdish in this subject. At religion domain, the finding maintained the dominance of Persian usage in the youngest group but, only 18 percent of the 20- 50 years group use Persian in worship and praying.
5.Conclusions & Suggestions
On the whole, the findings indicated that Kermanshah is experiencing an accelerating language shift among the youth. The argumentation supporting such an indication are as follows: 1. The youth and educated people’ tendency to acquire and use Persian signifies the reduction of Kurdish native speakers. 2. The girls’ (as would–be mothers) tendency to use Persian means the spread of Persian acquisition by the next generation, because they have the crucial role in language transmission to little children. 3. In family domain, Kurdish is used even less than office, marketplaces and art domains. 4. The lack of much positive attitude to Kurdish implies the less collective determination to maintain this language.
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