SOCIETAL BILINGUALISM IN KARAKALPAKSTAN: SOCIOLINGUISTIC ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE CONTACT AND IDENTITY
Keywords:
bilingualism, Karakalpak language, sociolinguistics, language contact, minority languagesAbstract
Bilingualism is a common phenomenon in multilingual societies, particularly in regions where minority languages coexist with dominant state or regional languages. Karakalpakstan represents a unique sociolinguistic environment where the Karakalpak language functions alongside Uzbek and Russian, creating a complex pattern of societal bilingualism and multilingualism. This paper examines the sociolinguistic aspects of bilingualism in Karakalpakstan with a focus on language contact, code-switching practices, and language-related identity.
The study is based on qualitative sociolinguistic observations, examples from everyday speech, educational contexts, and media discourse. Particular attention is given to Karakalpak–Uzbek bilingualism as the most widespread form of language contact in the region. The analysis demonstrates that bilingual practices among Karakalpak speakers often involve code-switching and lexical borrowing, especially among younger speakers and urban populations. While bilingualism facilitates communication and social mobility, it also contributes to language shift and poses challenges to the maintenance of Karakalpak as a minority language.
The findings suggest that bilingualism in Karakalpakstan is shaped by social factors such as education, migration, and language policy. The paper argues that sustainable language maintenance requires institutional support, bilingual education models, and the active use of Karakalpak in digital and public domains. This research contributes to sociolinguistic studies of minority languages by providing insights into bilingual practices in a less-studied linguistic context.
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