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A survey conducted among Kurdish mother tongue speakers in various parts of Turkey found that more than 97% of participants support Kurdish as a language of instruction, while younger generations are less proficient and use the language less than their elders.
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The Socio-Political Field Research Center conducted the survey between Jul 17 and 23 with the participation of 2,378 people in 23 provinces, including traditionally Kurdish-populated areas such as Diyarbakır, Mardin, and Urfa, as well as metropolitan centers with significant Kurdish populations such as İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and Adana.
Of those who participated, 88.2% identified their mother tongue as the Kurmancî dialect of Kurdish, and 10.4% as Zazakî/Kirmanckî dialect.
Younger generation less proficient
According to the survey, 23.5% of respondents said they spoke their mother tongue “very well,” while 43.2% said “well” and 16.2% reported speaking it “poorly.”
The research team noted that “those who speak their mother tongue very well are mostly in the middle-aged group, while those who speak it very poorly are largely among the younger generation. As the level of education increases, the proportion of those who speak the language well decreases.”
Intrafamily communication
The survey found that most respondents’ parents primarily spoke their mother tongues with each other and with their children. However, 27.8% of participants said they communicated exclusively in Turkish with their spouses. The use of mother tongues within families increased with age and decreased with higher education levels.
When asked about communication with children, 40.1% said their children spoke Turkish with them, while 24.7% reported speaking mostly Kurdish. Only 1.3% said their children used the Zazakî/Kirmanckî dialect.
Regarding children’s proficiency, 7.3% of respondents said their children spoke their mother tongue “very well,” and 13.5% said “well.” The research team remarked that these findings indicate “a dramatic decline in mother tongue communication with children, despite high levels of use between participants and their own parents.”
Half of parents aware of selective Kurdish classes
The study also asked parents whether they were aware that their children could choose Kurmancî or Zazakî as elective courses in schools. Of those surveyed, 45.5% said they were aware, while 21% said they were not.
On daily usage, 57.1% of respondents reported speaking their mother tongue “frequently,” 25.7% “occasionally,” 12.3% “rarely,” and 4.9% said they never spoke it.
In terms of cultural practices, 77.9% said they often listened to music in their mother tongue, while 15.4% described their reading ability in the language as “very good” and 22% as “good.”
Education in mother tongue
Respondents were also asked about policies related to mother tongue preservation. When questioned whether Kurdish should be a language of instruction at all levels of education in Turkey, 97.9% said “yes.”
In response to an open-ended question about the top priority for protecting and developing their mother tongue, 51.9% cited “ensuring education in the mother tongue,” 16.6% called for “official recognition and legal status,” and 9.1% emphasized encouraging its use within families and social settings. Education in the mother tongue was also the most frequent response for second- and third-priority measures.
The survey drew higher participation from Kurdish-speaking, middle-aged, male, and well-educated respondents.
The survey was conducted in Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Samsun, Balıkesir, Erzurum, Adıyaman, Van, Mardin, Urfa, Bingöl, Ağrı, Antalya, Mersin, Şırnak, Bursa, Antep, Batman, Dersim, Malatya, Adana, and Siirt. (HA/VK)