Article

Name: Language loyalty in the Mari diaspora in Bashkortostan

Authors: Vladislav A. Orlov

Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

In the section Linguistics

Abstract:

This paper examines language loyalty within the Mari people in the Republic of Bashkortostan. In Russia, the Mari diaspora, dating back to the 16th century, is considered one of the older Finno-Ugric diasporas. The research data were compiled in 2024, using thorough, semistructured interviews with ninety-five speakers from three Republic districts: Mishkinsky, Sharansky, and Kaltasinsky. The interviews addressed linguistic background, the functional spheres of the Mari language, and perceptions of Mari culture and language. This research defines language loyalty as a set of attitudes toward one’s ethnic language and a key factor for its preservation within the diaspora. The findings reveal a high degree of language loyalty, manifested in the perception of Mari as a symbol of community belonging. This loyalty provides ground and motivation for the community members to use their native language as a primary means of communication and fosters disapproval of ethnic Maris who refuse to use the language. A conclusion is drawn that knowledge of Mari is a fundamental ethnic attribute and an essential component of the traditional Mari religion, necessary for performing and following rituals.

Keywords: Mari language, Eastern Mari, language loyalty, old diaspora, language shift, language preserva-tion, language situation, symbolic function of the language

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