POSITIVE ORIENTATION TOWARDS the VERNACULAR AMONG the TALYSH of SUMGAYIT by Calvin F. Tiessen a Thesis Submitted to the Graduate
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POSITIVE ORIENTATION TOWARDS THE VERNACULAR AMONG THE TALYSH OF SUMGAYIT by Calvin F. Tiessen A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of North Dakota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Grand Forks, North Dakota August 2003 This thesis, submitted by Calvin F. Tiessen in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts from the University of North Dakota, has been read by the Faculty Advisory Committee under whom the work has been done and is hereby approved. John M Clifton (Chairperson) David F Marshall Mark E Karan This thesis meets the standards for appearance, conforms to the style and format requirements of the Graduate School of the University of North Dakota and is hereby approved. ________________________________________ Dean of the Graduate School ________________________________________ Date ii PERMISSION Title Positive Orientation Towards the Vernacular Among the Talysh of Sumgayit Department Linguistics Degree Master of Arts In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree from the University of North Dakota, I agree that the library of this University shall make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for extensive copying for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor who supervised my thesis work or, in his absence, by the chairperson of the department or the dean of the Graduate School. It is understood that any copying or publication or other use of this thesis or part thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and the University of North Dakota in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Signature Calvin F Tiessen Date ________________________ iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES....................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................................ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 1 II. THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC CONTEXT OF THE TALYSH COMMUNITY OF SUMGAYIT ................................................................ 5 III. A QUALITATIVE-RELATIONAL APPROACH TO THE RESEARCH CONTEXT ............................................................................................. 21 IV. THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC PROFILES: IDENTIFYING VERNACULAR ORIENTATION ...................................................... 44 V. DESCRIBING VERNACULAR ORIENTATION TYPOLOGICALLY: AN ANALYTICAL METHOD.................................. 60 VI. A TYPOLOGY OF POSITIVE VERNACULAR ORIENTATION AMONG THE TALYSH OF SUMGAYIT................................................ 76 VII. AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING TYPOLOGICAL VARIATION IN THE TALYSH COMMUNITY OF SUMGAYIT .............................................................. 98 VIII. CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 123 APPENDICES................................................................................................. 134 REFERENCES ............................................................................................... 141 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Azerbaijan in its Geographical Context .............................................................. 6 2 The Talysh Regions of Azerbaijan and Iran ..................................................... 10 3 The Traditional Talysh Districts of Azerbaijan .................................................. 11 4 Sumgayit and the Absheron Peninsula ............................................................ 15 5 Sample Selection Relationships ....................................................................... 31 6 A Continuum of Individual Relevance for Ethnolinguistic Vitality Indicators............................................................................................... 46 7 Hierarchy of Components in Typological Analysis ........................................... 63 8 Gradience-Multiplexity Grid for Criteria of Differentiation ................................. 73 9 Patterns of Variation in Talysh Language Proficiency.................................... 113 10 Life Context Variables and Social Networks................................................... 117 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Statistics for Urban Populations ......................................................................... 8 2 Representation of Generations within the Talysh Population of Sumgayit........................................................................................................... 18 3 Representation of Arrival Periods within First Generation................................ 19 4 Representation of Birth Periods within Second Generation ............................. 19 5 Representation of Birth Periods within Third Generation ................................. 19 6 Underlying Questions for Personal Indicators .................................................. 47 7 Underlying Questions Regarding Vernacular Orientation ................................ 48 8 Patterns of Interpersonal Language Use Analyzed as Interaction of Variables..................................................................................... 70 9 Possible Patterns of Talysh Language Use in Physical Domains............................................................................................................ 78 10 Possible Patterns of Interpersonal Talysh Language Use ............................... 79 11 Summary of the Criteria of Differentiation ........................................................ 81 12 Probable Subject Types for Language Use...................................................... 84 13 Individual Types which do not use Talysh with Children in Social Situations ............................................................................................... 85 14 Actual Individual Types for Talysh Language Use ........................................... 86 15 Labeled Language Use Types.......................................................................... 86 16 Typological Labels for Proficiency and Social Network Insulation ................... 87 17 A Reduced List of Probable Subject Types...................................................... 88 18 Actual Types ..................................................................................................... 90 vi 19 Population Categories ...................................................................................... 91 20 Types Representing Various Population Categories........................................ 92 21 Distribution of Active Talysh Language Proficiency ......................................... 93 22 Distribution of Talysh Language Use................................................................ 94 23 Distribution of Social Network Insulation .......................................................... 96 24 Theoretically Possible Combinations of Variables Affecting Talysh Language Proficiency ......................................................................... 110 25 A Reduced List of Variable Combinations Affecting Talysh Language Proficiency ..................................................................................... 111 26 Theoretically Possible Combinations of Life Context Variables Affecting Insulation of Social Networks .......................................................... 114 27 A Reduced List of Life Context Variable Combinations Affecting Insulation of Social Networks .......................................................... 115 28 The Effect of Attitudes on Social Network Patterns........................................ 119 29 Variables and their Effects on Patterns of Talysh Language Use.................. 122 vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express thanks to Dr. John M. Clifton, advisor, mentor and friend, to my thesis committee members Dr. Mark Karan and Dr. David Marshall, and to the many Talysh individuals without whom this research would not have been possible. viii To Novruz Ali Mammedov ABSTRACT This thesis looks at the identification of positive vernacular orientation in the Talysh community of the city of Sumgayit, for the purpose of gaining a greater understanding of its causes. Positive vernacular orientation is defined as exhibition of a preferred status for the vernacular in sociolinguistic behaviour. Positive vernacular orientation is described in three areas of sociolinguistic behaviour: patterns of vernacular language use, vernacular language proficiency and frequency of vernacular-speaking individuals in social networks. Data was collected through personal interviews. The questionnaires for these interviews were developed using a qualitative-relational research approach. The description of positive vernacular orientation takes the form of a criteria-based typology of which an analysis of influential factors is ultimately made. This analysis of influential factors demonstrates the interaction between positive vernacular orientation as described in the typology and the contextual elements of the family, socio-economic