Revitalizing the Local Laz Language Under Threat Through Education: A Qualitative Analysis

Nermin Karabacak; Şenol Sezer

doi:10.29333/ejecs/2170

Authors

Nermin Karabacak Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Education, Rize https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5231-1730
Şenol Sezer https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8800-6017

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2170

Keywords:

Local language, Lazi, language under threat, education, sustainability

Abstract

This study examines the survival of the Laz language through education from the perspective of Laz language educators. This research was conducted in a qualitative research design and case study model. Data was collected via a semi-structured interview form and analyzed by using a content analysis method. The study group consisted of six teachers of Lazi. The findings revealed that the Laz language is under threat due to limited class hours and course materials. School administrators provide insufficient support for language education, pre-service and in-service training for Laz language teachers remains inadequate, and younger generations show little preference for speaking Laz. In addition, participants suggested that the language should be included as an elective course in the secondary school curriculum, that more projects and research on Laz should be undertaken, and that in-service training opportunities should be expanded. While participants expressed satisfaction with the state’s local language policies, they emphasized that stronger institutional and political support is necessary to enhance social acceptance, ensure survival through education, and promote sustainability.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Nermin Karabacak, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Education, Rize

Nermin Karabacak works as a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Rize Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University. She continues her research on educational programs, teacher training, professional values of teaching and teacher qualifications, international students, cultural inclusivity studies, and the education of immigrant and refugee children. There are project studies related to cultural inclusivity studies.

Şenol Sezer

Şenol Sezer is a researcher and faculty member at Ordu University, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences. Dr. Sezer continues his research on educational administration, teacher training, professional values of teaching and teacher qualifications, international students, school happiness, leadership, classroom management, democratic education, and the education of immigrant and refugee children. Dr. Sezer has studies on inclusive education.

References

Acevedo, N., & Solorzano, D. G. (2023). An overview of community cultural wealth: Toward a protective factor against racism. Urban Education, 58(7), 1470-1488. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859211016531 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859211016531

Andrews, P. A. (1992). Türkiye’de etnik gruplar. [Ethnic groups in the Republic of Turkey]. (M. Küpüşoğlu, Trans.) Ant Yayınları.

Aksoylu, K. (2009). Laz kültürü: Tarih, dil, gelenek ve toplumsal yapı [Laz culture: History, language, tradition and social structure]. PhoneixYayınevi.

Bakay, Ö. (2020). Yaşayan diller ve lehçeler seçmeli Lazca dersi raporu 2013-2020 [Living languages and dialects elective Laz language course report 2013-2020]. Sena Ofset.

Bayır, D. (2013). Minorities and nationalism in Turkish law. Cultural diversity and law. Farnham. Surrey, England. Burlington, VT.

Bayrak, A. (2022). Lazca söz varığında Türkçe fiil kopyaları [In the Laz vocabulary, Turkish verb copies]. Dil Araştırmaları, 31, 237-257. https://doi.org.10.54316/dilarastirmalari.1100456 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54316/dilarastirmalari.1100456

Bekpenbetova, S., Satkenova, S., Ibrayeva, Z., Zholdybayev, O., Yerzhanova, S., & Seyitova,

B. (2025). Intertextuality in modern Kazakh prose: Enhancing cultural identity and

academic success in higher education. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 12(1),

62-85. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2408 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2408

Benninghaus, R. (1989). The Laz: An example of multiple identification. In P. A. Andrews (Ed.), Ethnic Groups in the Republic of Turkey (pp. 497-502). Wiesbaden.

Creswell, J. W. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Pearson Education Inc.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (Fourth ed.). Sage.

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.

Çiçek, C. (2013). Zimanek çima tê qedexekirin? Peywend Yayınları.

Çolak, Y. (2004). Language policy and official ideology in early republican Turkey. Middle Eastern Studies, 40(6), 67-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0026320042000282883

Elo, S., Kääriäinen, M., Kanste, O., Pölkki, T., Utriainen, K., & Kyngäs, H. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: A focus on trustworthiness. SAGE Open 4(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/ 2158244014522633. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014522633

Eminov, A. (2001). The Turkish language reform: A catastrophic success Geoffrey Lewis. Language, 77(2), 384-386. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3086790 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.2001.0078

Eren, Ö., & Taşkan, D. (2023). Yaşayan diller ve lehçeler seçmeli dersine yönelik algı ve yaklaşımlar. [Perceptions and approaches towards the living languages and dialects elective course]. Fotokitap Fotoğraf Ürünleri.

Gay, G. (2015). The what, why, and how of culturally responsive teaching: International mandates, challenges, and opportunities. Multicultural Education Review, 7(3), 123 139. https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615X.2015.1072079 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615X.2015.1072079

Garai-Artetxe, E., Agirreazkuenaga, I., García-Ureta, I., Monge, S.,

Elorriaga-Illera, A., Miguel, A., & Paniagua, A. (2025). Language branding: A methodological approach to measuring the brand of the Basque language. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 12(1), 19-41, http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2157 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2157

Gökdağ, B. A. (2011). Doğu Karadeniz’de konuşulan diller ve Türkçe ile etkileşimleri. [Languages spoken in the Eastern Black Sea Region and their interactions with Turkish]. Karadeniz Araştırmaları, 31, 111-134.

Hassanpour, A., Skutnabb-Kangas, T., & Chyet, M. (1996). The non-education of Kurds: A Kurdish perspective. International Review of Education, 42(4), 367-379. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00601097

Haznedar, B. (2018). Türkiye’de Lazcanın mevcut durumu-2018 raporu 2020 [Current status of Laz in Turkey-2018 report]. Laz Institute Publications.

Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. (2014). Educational research quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approach (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

Karagöz, N. (2016). Seçmeli Kürtçe dersine karşı veli tutumları [Parent attitudes towards the elective Kurdish course]. (Unpublished master’s thesis): Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Türkiye.

Karimova, N., & Deverell, E. (2001). Minorities in Turkey. Occasional Papers. No. 19. The Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

Kavgacı, H. (Ed.). (2021). İlk ve ortaöğretim kurumlarında yabancı diller, yaşayan diller ve lehçelerin öğretimi: Mevcut durum analizi ve politika önerileri [Teaching foreign languages, living languages and dialects in primary and secondary education institutions: Current situation analysis and policy recommendations]. Talim ve Terbiye Kurulu Başkanlığı.

Kaya, İ., & Aydın, H. (2013). Anadilde eğitim sorunu: zorluklar, deneyimler ve iki dilli eğitim modeli önerileri tutumları [The problem of education in mother tongue: challenges, experiences and bilingual education model proposals]. UKAM Publications.

Kim, Y., Cagle, N., Simha, A., & Herlick, Z. (2025). Researcher Perceptions of Historical Knowledge for Ecological Research: A Case Study in the Southeastern U.S.. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 9(3), 162-181. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16541 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16541

Korkmaz, D., & Aybirdi-Tanrıverdi, N. (2024). Turkish primary school EFL teachers’ use of supplementary materials: A case study on problems and solutions. International Journal of Scholars in Education, 7(1), 17-33. https://doi.org/10.52134/ueader.1427449 DOI: https://doi.org/10.52134/ueader.1427449

Kurt, Ş. (2020). Türkiye’de Kürtçe öğretim deneyiminin incelenmesi (1968-2018). [Examining the experience of teaching Kurdish in Turkey (1968-2018)]. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Türkiye.

Kutscher, S. (2008). The language of the Laz in Turkey: Contact-induced change or gradual language loss? Turkic Languages, 12(1), 82-102.

Lacroix, R. (2007). Ditransitive constructions in Laz. Paper presented at Conference on Ditransitive Constructions. Leipzig: Max Planck for Evolutionary Anthropology. December 23-25, 2007.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995a). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34(3), 159-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995b). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), 465-491. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312032003465 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312032003465

Laz Institute. (2017). Lazca ders kitapları [Laz language textbooks]. https://www.lazenstitu.com/lazca-ders-kitaplari/

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-1767(85)90062-8

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2016). Designing qualitative research (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

Mayring, P. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical foundation, basic procedures and software solution. https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/39517.

Martinez, F. (2022). Politics, language, and cultural identity: DetroitRicans and Puertoricanness in Detroit. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 9(4), 1-41, http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1260 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1260

Merriam, S. B. (2013). Qualitative research and case study applications in education: Revised and expanded from case study research in education, (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage.

Ministry of National Education [MoNE]. (2013). Ortaokul ve Imam-Hatip Ortaokulu Yaşayan Diller ve Lehçeler Dersi (Lazi 5, 6, 7 ve 8. sınıflar) ders programı. [Middle school and Imam- Hatip middle school living languages and dialects course (Lazi 5, 6, 7 and 8. grades) course program] https://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/202291615541048 Lazca.pdf.

Ministry of National Education [MoNE]. (2024). Seçmeli dersler genelgesi [Optional lessons directive].https://www.meb.gov.tr/arama_sonuc.php?q=ya%C5%9Fayan%20diller%20ve%20leh%C3%A7eler%20genelgesi

Moseley, C. (Ed.) (2010). Atlas of the World’s languages in danger. UNESCO Publishing.

Nişanyan, S. (2011). Hayali coğrafyalar: Cumhuriyet döneminde Türkiye’de değiştirilen yer adları [ Imaginary geographies: Place names changed in Turkey during the Republican period]. TESEV.

Özfidan, B., & Demir, H. (2014). Basque Bilingual Education and Sampling for a Possible Bilingual Education in Turkey. Asian Journal of Instruction, 2(1(ÖZEL)), 77-85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.5.2.382-390

Özgün, M. R. (1996). Lazlar [ Laz people]. Çivi Yazıları.

Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Integrating theory and practice (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Punch, K. F. (2014). Introduction to social research: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. (3rd. ed.). Sage Publications.

Rossman, G. B., & Sharon, F. R. (2017). An introduction to qualitative research: Learning in the field. (4th ed.). Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071802694 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071802694

Saldana, J. (2012). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (2nd ed.). Sage publications.

Sengupta, S., & Guchhait, S. K. (2022). Seasonal migration and child’s schooling: A survival approach. Contemporary Voice of Dalit, 1-21. DOI: 10.1177/2455328X221131663 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2455328X221131663

Serdar, A. (2015). Constructing ethnic boundaries of Lazness at the local and the national level: Language, memory and culture. Mülkiye Dergisi, 39(1), 93-134.

Silverman, D. (2005). Interpreting qualitative data (3rd. ed.). Sage.

Smoker, P., & Groff, L. (1996). Creating global-local cultures of peace. Peace and Conflict Studies, 3(1), 1-38. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol3/iss1/3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.46743/1082-7307/1996.1170

Taşkın, N. (2011). Representing and performing Laz identity: “This is not a rebel song!” (Unpublished master’s thesis). Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Türkiye.

Toibazar, A., Dautova, G., Aliyev, Y., Turdali, T., & Zhalgasbayeva, K. (2024). Ethnic narratives in education: The role of Kazakh epics in preserving cultural heritage and identity. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 12(1), 154-177, http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2414 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2414

Tunçel, H. (2000). Türkiye’de ismi değiştirilen köyler [Renamed villages in Turkey]. Fırat Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 10(2), 23-34.

Yaman, H. (2019). Lazca ürünler ve Lazca üzerine yapılan çalışmalar bibliyografyası [Bibliography of works written in Laz and works on Laz]. Tehlikedeki Diller Dergisi [Journal of Endangered Languages], 15, 231-239.

Yeğen, M. (2004). Citizenhip and ethnicity in Turkey. Middle Eastern Studies,40 (6), 51-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0026320042000282874

Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2015). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (10. Baskı) [Qualitative research methods in social sciences (10th ed.).]. Seçkin Yayıncılık.

Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Desing and methods (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

Zhang, Y., & Wildemuth, B. M. (2009). Qualitative analysis of content. In B. M. Wildemuth (Ed.). Applications of social research methods to questions in information and library science (pp.308-319). Libraries Unlimited.