Abstract
Perceptual Dialectology is the study of ‘ordinary’ people’s perception of linguistic variation. In a first
step, this paper presents a comparison of two Perceptual Dialectology studies: one study on Turkish
varieties and their speakers, the other on Kurdish varieties. Both studies build on their informants’
ability to identify and locate the varieties of their language on a given map. A comparison of the two
studies reveals that both Turkish informants from western Turkey and Kurdish informants living in
the European diaspora are clearly aware where each language is spoken. In a second step, the
Perceptual Dialectology data is combined with demographic – i.e., socioeconomic, educational and
political – information. This approach allows for a more in-depth analysis not only of the informants’
knowledge and attitudes, but also of possible reasons causing certain language attitudes, such as a
strongly negative stance of informants in western Turkey towards Kurdish-speaking regions in
Turkey. The data also reveals the Kurdish diaspora’s good knowledge on the distribution of Kurdish
varieties in the Middle East. This knowledge in turn can play an important role in identity-building
processes.
step, this paper presents a comparison of two Perceptual Dialectology studies: one study on Turkish
varieties and their speakers, the other on Kurdish varieties. Both studies build on their informants’
ability to identify and locate the varieties of their language on a given map. A comparison of the two
studies reveals that both Turkish informants from western Turkey and Kurdish informants living in
the European diaspora are clearly aware where each language is spoken. In a second step, the
Perceptual Dialectology data is combined with demographic – i.e., socioeconomic, educational and
political – information. This approach allows for a more in-depth analysis not only of the informants’
knowledge and attitudes, but also of possible reasons causing certain language attitudes, such as a
strongly negative stance of informants in western Turkey towards Kurdish-speaking regions in
Turkey. The data also reveals the Kurdish diaspora’s good knowledge on the distribution of Kurdish
varieties in the Middle East. This knowledge in turn can play an important role in identity-building
processes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Language – Migration – Cohesion: Kurdish and its Diaspora |
| Editors | Katharina Brizic |
| Publisher | Preasens |
| Pages | 80-99 |
| ISBN (Print) | 3706909650, 978-3-7069-0965-5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |