Functional Space of Language for Armenian Migrants in Russia | South-Russian Journal of Social Sciences
Functional Space of Language for Armenian Migrants in Russia
Vol. 25 (2024) No. 1, Sociological Interpretations
Vol. 25 (2024) No. 1
Sociological Interpretations

Functional Space of Language for Armenian Migrants in Russia

Rakachev V.N.
Kuban State University
ORCID ID 0000-0002-6505-4208
Rakacheva Ya.V.
Kuban State University
ORCID ID 0000-0003-0540-6408
Avetisyan V.G.
Russian-­Armenian (Slavonic) University
ORCID ID 0009-0006-4789-1308
PDF (Russian)
https://doi.org/10.31429/26190567-25-1-80-93
https://doi.org/10.31429/26190567-25-1-80-93

How to Cite Array

Rakachev V.N., Rakacheva Ya.V., Avetisyan V.G. (2024) Functional Space of Language for Armenian Migrants in Russia. South-Russian Journal of Social Sciences, 25 (1), pp. 80-93. DOI: 10.31429/26190567-25-1-80-93 (In Russian)
Submission Date 2024-06-20
Accepted Date 2024-06-20
Published Date 2024-03-29

Copyright (c) 2024 Вадим Николаевич Ракачев, Ярослава Владимировна Ракачева, Ваэ Гагикович Аветисян

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The objective of this study is to identify a specific set of functions that language(s) fulfill, to demonstrate which ones are relevant in the context of migration, and to illustrate how language choices are made, influenced by the language policy of the receiving state, as well as the way it is reflected in the linguistic awareness and the identity of the migrants. It is observed that migration into new territories is, as a rule, accompanied by considerable cultural changes, most notably linguistic. For the majority of migrants, relocation necessitates the acquisition of a new language, which is an indispensable factor for successful adaptation and integration into the host community. The analysis of the situation with Armenian migrants in Russia indicates that the functional space of language is characterized by a complex composition of the functions it performs. The most pertinent functions are those of stimulating and directing migration, the adaptation function, the function of preserving and reproducing ethnic culture, and the function of identification. The effective implementation of the aforementioned functions of language can facilitate a more favorable environment for migrants in the receiving society. This depends on the language policy, which must ensure that migrants possess the requisite linguistic competence while also fostering in them a sense of belonging to their new environment, taking into account their former preferences. It is also important to consider that the sense of belonging is contingent upon migrants’ intentions. These may include the desire to settle permanently, to establish oneself in the country, or to view it as a temporary destination. The article employs a comprehensive approach, integrating modern concepts of identity, migration, and sociolinguistics.

Keywords

migration, identity, linguistic consciousness, Armenia, Russia, transnationalism, markers of identification, language policy, linguistic capital

Acknowledgements

The article was prepared within the framework of the joint Russian-­Armenian project “Mechanisms of national identity transformation in modern migration processes (on the example of Armenia — South Russia migration network)”, No 20-511-05019 Arm_a, with the financial support of the RFBR.

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