Case of Using Turkish Language of Second-Generation Turkish Children Living Abroad and Relationship Between Language-Culture

Abstract

In recent years, Turkish population in the United States as in Europe has increased substantially. Strong pressures from the American culture and language have commonly led to weakening and even the extinction of Turkish language and culture especially in the second generation of children with native language is Turkish. In this study, use of Turkish language of second-generation Turkish children living in the United States, communications with their families and cultural elements in those communications, their language and cultural conflicts, as well as their families do to maintain their native language and culture were examined. For this purpose, the case study method was used in qualitative research methods. Communications between a Turkish family and their 5 and 11 years old children were being observed in a certain period of time and the written notes were taken. Unstructured interviews were conducted with Turkish family and children and documents were also examined to support the findings. Results of the study indicate that: 1) Despite the efforts of families to maintain and protect the native language, English is widely used among second-generation Turkish children, 2) the second generation of children have the problem of acculturation and language and culture conflict, 3) the cultural inconsistency between family and children; 4) educational institutions are the determining factor in the transmission of language and culture.

Keywords

• Second-generation Turkish children living abroad, native language,Turkish culture, cultural conflict

Yurt Dışında Yaşayan İkinci Kuşak Türk Çocuklarının Türkçeyi Kullanım Durumları ve Dil-Kültür İlişkisi

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, Amerika Birleşik Devletlerinde yaşamakta olan özellikle ikinci kuşak Türk çocuklarının ana dilleri olan Türkçeyi kullanımı, aileleri ile olan iletişimleri ve kültürel unsurlar, çocukların yaşamakta oldukları dil ve kültür çatışmaları, ayrıca ailelerin kendi ana dillerini ve kültürlerini sürdürmek için neler yaptıkları incelenmiştir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olan durum (örnek olay) incelemesi tekniği kullanılmıştır. Bu araştırmanın sonucunda; 1) ailelerin ana dillerini koruma ve sürdürme çabalarına rağmen ikinci kuşak Türk çocuklar arasında İngilizcenin yaygın olarak kullanıldığı; 2) ikinci kuşak çocukların kültürel uyum sorunu çektiği, dil ve kültür çatışması yaşadıkları; 3) aile ile çocuklar arasında kültürel uyuşmazlıkların olduğu; 4) eğitim kurumlarının dil ve kültür aktarımında belirleyici bir faktör olduğu sonuçlarına ulaşılmıştır.

Keywords

• Yurt dışında yaşayan ikinci kuşak Türk çocukları, ana dil, Türk kültürü, kültürel çatışma

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