Heritage Language and Cultural Preservation among the Nomadic Turkmen of Jordan: A Sociolinguistic Study

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how the nomadic Turkmen of Jordan use Turkmen and Arabic in their daily life .It also describes the cultural aspects that they preserved and the factors that helped them in preserving their language and culture. Adopting the case study approach, a five-Turkmen-family sample served as participants utilising the participants’ observation method and semi-structured interviews. Results revealed that the nomadic Turkmen of Jordan have maintained their ethnic language by using it exclusively at home with family members, grandparents and with relatives. They also preserved various aspects of their heritage culture such as clothing, life style, marriage and social traditions as well as their eating habits. Moreover, results have revealed some socio-cultural factors that enhanced their language and cultural preservation such as partial isolation from the larger host community, rejection of external marriages, lack of education and the media..