The language situation among the Circassians of Jordan

Abstract EN

This paper examines the language situation among the Circassians of Jordan with the purpose of testing the validity of Fishman's finding (1989:206) which states : "What begins as the language of social and economic mobility ends within three generations or so, as the language of crib as well".

f'he paper shows that Fishman's conclusion does not hold true in the case of the Circassian of Jordan.

The Circassian language and Culture have been maintained despite the passage of over one hundred years.

The Circassian language did not die in the Circassian community.

It has been used side by side with Arabic among third and fourth Circassian generations.

The survival of the Circassian language and culture has not been possible without the support of the Jordanian democratic system which gives recognition and respect to all Jordanians of all ethnic origins.