The role of language use and attitudes on language maintenance and heritage identity: The situation of the Hemshin language in Türkiye

Aims and objectives: This study aims to uncover the impact of language use and attitudes of Hemshin people living in the eastern Black Sea region in Türkiye on language maintenance and heritage identity. Methodology: This study utilized an ethnographic approach to fieldwork. Interviews were conducted with two groups of participants ( n = 60) between 2017 and 2021. The participants included speech community members living in Hopa and heritage community members living in Çamlıhemşin and Hemşin. Data and Analysis: Data was collected through a direct approach, including face-to-face interviews, participant observation, and a field diary, and analyzed via a multiphase content analysis method. Findings: Participants in the speech community displayed positive attitudes toward Hemshin, yet a language shift toward Turkish was noted, particularly among third-generation speakers. Moreover, Hemshin people across three districts demonstrated a strong sense of belonging to their Hemshin identity through language use (in Hopa) and cultural preservation activities (in Çamlıhemşin and Hemşin). Both speech and heritage community members identified themselves as unique ethnic groups of Hemshin people. Originality: Few studies are engaged in the Hemshin community in the eastern Black Sea region regarding their language use, attitudes, and maintenance. Unlike most language studies that focus on speech communities, this study includes participants from both the speech and heritage communities and thus provides comprehensive insights into language maintenance and loss as well as the language identity of the communities. Significance: This study emphasizes that ethnic identity is defined not only by language but also by shared history and culture. Despite not speaking Hemshin, participants from heritage communities exhibit positive attitudes toward their ethnic identity, suggesting that ethnic identity can persist despite language loss. This study contributes to understanding the Hemshin language as an endangered minority language and other endangered languages and raises awareness concerning the protection of these languages.