"Charming yet challenging": Exploring ethnolinguistic identity perceptions of Khalajs through positioning theory

Abstract

This paper provides an in-depth exploration of the ethnolinguistic identity of Khalaj speakers, an endangered minority language community in Central Iran, through the lens of positioning theory. In a socio-political landscape dominated by a monolingual policy that elevates Persian in nearly all social and institutional contexts, minority languages such as Khalaj face increasing marginalization. This policy significantly reduces the functional spaces where Khalaj is used, adversely affecting the language's vitality and prospects for survival. The study investigates how Khalaj-speaking communities position their language in relation to the dominant Persian, examining their perceptions of ethnolinguistic vitality. Utilizing qualitative methods, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and detailed fieldwork notes. Interviews with six key informants from the Khalaj-speaking community provided rich insights into how speakers perceive their language's future, the challenges it encounters, and the influence of Persian as the socially dominant language. Fieldwork observations further enriched this data, capturing the everyday language practices and dynamics within the community. The findings reveal that Khalaj speakers perceive their language’s vitality as low, reflecting significant concerns regarding its endangerment and limited use in both public and private spheres. In contrast, they recognize the vitality of Persian as overwhelmingly high, acknowledging its predominance in education, governance, and media. These perceptions highlight the positioning of Khalaj within the sociolinguistic landscape, revealing the pressures that contribute to language shift and the potential for revitalization efforts. This qualitative study illustrates the complex interplay between minority and dominant languages in Iran, emphasizing the charming yet challenging nature of maintaining ethnolinguistic vitality for endangered languages like Khalaj through the framework of positioning theory.

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