On the linguistic situation of the Tatar diaspora in the USA

Abstract

© 2015, Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. All rights reserved. The present article explores the linguistic situation among emigrant Tatars by the example of the Turko-Tatar diaspora in the USA. The cultural and educational work of the Turko-Tatar diaspora contributes to the preservation of the native language, national traditions outside the country as the culture, the language and the religion have played an integral part in preserving the national and cultural image, the lifestyle of the immigrant in a foreign land, in a foreign culture. The language is deemed as the cornerstone of the spiritual culture, a means of cultural cross-fertilization and self-identification. The Tatar diaspora in the USA retains a collective memory of the country of origin as well as striving for self-identification. They possess an enduring identification with the country of origin along with a sense of group unity based on it in order to preserve and develop their language and culture in a foreign environment. The study has confirmed our hypothesis that the linguistic consciousness of the Tatar in America has several features that distinguish it from the linguistic consciousness of Tatars in Tatarstan. At the same time, general views of both groups to certain values can be traced in the linguistic thinking.