The study titled “The level of use of mother tongues other than Turkish in Turkey and social demand and tendencies regarding mother tongues,” published by the Field Studies Center (SAMER), found that the use of mother tongues is narrowing in everyday life, while social demand for education in mother tongues remains extremely strong.
Online survey with 1,540 participants
The study was conducted through an online survey between 4 and 10 February 2026, with the participation of 1,540 people. The majority of respondents live in the “Southeastern and Eastern Anatolia” regions (Northern Kurdistan). Of the participants, 82.8 percent identified Kurmanji as their mother tongue, 9.4 percent Kirmanckî/Zazakî. In addition, 3.3 percent said they speak both Kurmanji and Kirmanckî/Zazakî, while 2.2 percent reported Arabic, 0.9 percent Circassian, 0.7 percent Laz/Georgian, and 0.5 percent other mother tongues, including Pomak, Ossetian and Syriac.
Mother tongue is strong at home, but Turkish dominant in public spaces
According to the survey, the mother tongue is used most strongly within the family. Some 41.5 percent of respondents said they “always” speak their mother tongue at home, while 28.1 percent said they speak it “often.”
The picture reverses in public spaces. A total of 60.1 per cent of participants said they mostly speak Turkish in the street and in social life. The rate of Turkish use is higher, particularly among younger age groups.
Sharp decline in reading and writing skills
Respondents reported relatively high proficiency in understanding and speaking their mother tongue, but a marked decline was observed in reading and writing skills. The share of those who said they “do not write at all” in their mother tongue reached 36.6 percent.
Those who said they do not know their mother tongue sufficiently cited the main reason as “the lack of schools and resources where it can be learned.” This was followed by the responses “because it is banned” (19.8 percent) and “because my family did not teach it” (13.6 percent).
Breakdown in mother-tongue communication with children
A significant proportion of households with children said they do not speak to their children in their mother tongue. The most common reason given for this was the dominance of Turkish in their surroundings. Despite this, the majority of participants said they make an effort to teach their children their mother tongue.
Within the household, the individuals with whom the mother tongue is spoken most frequently were identified as mothers (75 percent), fathers (73.5 percent), and members aged 65 and over (63.1 percent). The response “never” was reported at the highest rate for children aged 0–5 (24.4 percent).
The study warns that the weakening of mother-tongue use, particularly among the 0–5 age group, poses a risk to intergenerational transmission.
Near-unanimous support for mother-tongue education: 98.7 per cent
One of the most striking findings of the study was the strong support for education in the mother tongue. A total of 98.7 percent of participants said they want children to receive education in their mother tongue, while 91.5 percent stated that education should be in the mother tongue starting from preschool.
Some 82.1 percent of participants described the current “Living Languages” practice as “very inadequate.” The absence of education in the mother tongue was cited by 56.9 percent as the greatest threat to the survival of mother tongues.
Discrimination
Participants said they most frequently face discrimination due to their mother tongue in state institutions (60.4 per cent) and on social media (44.7 percent).
General assessment
The findings show that the mother tongue carries strong significance for identity and cultural memory, yet serious structural limitations remain in terms of public use and education policies.
Among the most urgent demands for the protection of mother tongues are education in the mother tongue, legal and constitutional guarantees, and official status.
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