Abstract:

This paper is on a study that delves into the language attitudes and ideologies of the Uyghur diaspora community in the US and their relationship with efforts to maintain their heritage language. Initially, a quantitative approach was employed via a survey to explore participants' language attitudes. Subsequently, qualitative methods were used to delve deeper into these attitudes and ideologies. The study also considers the impact of the Chinese government's genocidal policies since late 2016 on participants' language attitudes and ideologies. Data was gathered from 76 participants, revealing a prevailing positive attitude towards the Uyghur language, culture, and identity in the US diaspora. The qualitative findings indicate that language ideology significantly influences heritage language maintenance efforts, particularly ideologies viewing the Uyghur language as integral to Uyghur identity and speaking it as a form of resistance against Chinese government oppression. Furthermore, the data suggests that the Chinese government's policies are measurably affecting participants' language attitudes and ideologies, further bolstering their positive outlook towards the Uyghur language. While the field of heritage language maintenance employs various methods for scholarly inquiry, the concept of language ideology remains underexplored. This research not only highlights the critical role of language ideology in heritage language maintenance but also initiates an essential dialogue between heritage language studies and the concept of language ideology.