GEORGIAN MUHAJIRS’ DESCENDANTS LIVING IN DÜZCE REGION (THEIR LINGUAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITY

Abstract

In our article we review a Georgian lingual and ethnic identity of the Georgian Muhajirs’ descendants in Düzce, Turkey. All the research materials are obtained by us during the linguistic field works in Turkey, Düzce and Sakarya region. In the article, all the Illustrative phrases in Georgian are transcribed with specific Latin based transcription for Ibero-Caucasian Languages.

The most part of Muhajir Georgians’ Düzce descendants have preserved the Georgian ethnical self-concept. Due to the code switching process going on during 140 years the historical mother tongue is only spoken by the older generation; their knowledge of the Turkish language is mostly poor. The people of middle generation are usually bilingual speaking both Georgian and Turkish. The younger generation speaks only Turkish, which they consider more prestigious than the mother tongue of their ancestors.

Based on our data, the identity of ethnic Georgians’ new generation is determined by the Turkish citizenship: one part of Muhajirs consider themselves “Turkish”. Such self-concept is conditioned by their free integration into the Turkish state through the Turkish language. Those who consider themselves Turkish are well aware of their Georgian origin.

Key-words: Georgians, Muhajirs, Turkey, Georgia, Düzce