Vol. 4 No. 16 (2015)

Research Article

Novus Ortus: The Awakening of Laz Language in Turkey

Published 2015-04-20

Cilt 4 Sayı 16 kapak

Abstract

Laz (South Caucasian) language, which is spoken primarily on the southeastern coast of the Black Sea in Turkey, is being threatened by language endangerment. Having no official status, Laz language is considered to be an ethnic minority language in Turkey. All Laz people residing in Turkey are bilingual with the official language in the country, Turkish, and use Laz most frequently in intrafamilial conversations. In this article, Laz language is removed from the dusty pages of Turkish history as a response to the threat of language attrition in the world. Accordingly, language endangerment is viewed in terms of a sociolinguistic phenomenon within the boundaries of both language-internal and -external factors. Laz language revitalization acts have also been scrutinized. Having a dekko at the history of modern Turkey will enlighten whether those revitalization acts and/or movements can offer a novus ortus (new birth) for the current situation of Laz language.

Keywords Laz language, endangered languages, minority languages, language revitalization

Öz

Türkiye’de ağırlıklı olmak üzere, Karadeniz’in güneydoğu kıyılarında konuşulan Lazca’nın (Güney Kafkas dili) nesli tükenme ile karşı karşıyadır. Resmi bir değergesi bulunmayan Lazca, Türkiye’deki etnik azınlık dillerinden biri olarak görülmektedir. Türkiye’de yaşayan tüm Lazlar, ülkenin resmi dili olan Türkçe ve çoğunlukla aile-içi iletişimde kullandıkları Lazca bile birlikte çift dilli konumdadır. Bu makale ile Lazca, dünyadaki dil aşınma tehditine cevaben Türk tarihinin tozlu sayfalarından çıkarılmıştır. Beraberinde, dil ölüm süreci toplumdilbilimsel bir olgu olarak dil-içi ve dil-dışı etkenler dikkate alınarak incelenmiştir. Lazcayı canlandırma hareketleri de irdelenmiştir. Modern Türkiye tarihine göz atmak, bu canlandırma hareket ve/veya politikalarının, Lazcanın şu anki durumu için adeta bir yeniden doğuş olup olmayacağını açıklığa kavuşturacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler Lazca, tehlikedeki diller, azınlık dilleri, dil canlandırma

PDF (Turkish)

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