Conclusions
As it was previously mentioned in a Factbox on the Home page, the Kazakh language was severely pressed due to political reasons until 1991, the year when the Republic of Kazakhstan achieved its' independence.
Due to the existence of various ethnicities in Kazakhstan, it is correct to name the students from Kazakhstan- Kazakhstani, because the are two definitions of Kazakh:
1: a member of a Turkic people of Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia
2: the language of the Kazakhs (“Kazakh.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Kazakh. Accessed 23 January 2020.)
Research questions:
- When do Kazakhstani students prioritize which language?
The research showed that language practice of students can be described as flexible and tends to adapt to circumstances.
The data shows that the students remain using Russian in daily life for various purposes. It appears that English and german catch up to the Russian language in regards to the utility.
The Kazakh language isn´t used that much like other languages or is being only used from time to time.
At work, English and German seem to dominate, whereas in communication with friends all three of the main languages are being used and with colleagues, German is prioritized.
Interestingly, the language set on their devices like phones and computers is nearly divided half in half in English and German.
- With which language do Kazakhstani students identify themselves the most?
The online questionnaire shows that the majority identifies itself with Russian (17 out of 25). Only 5 participants identified themselves with the Kazakh language.
According to the answers given during the process of gathering language portraits, two of the three students identify themselves with English, the other student identifies himself with three languages (Russian, English and German).
General conclusion
In relation to the data, it appears that for the Kazakhstani students Russian language is one of the most used languages in daily life. The Kazakh language still plays an important role, but its practice is limited to communication with family and close relatives. The interviewed students noticed, that after changing the place of residence, English and German became the most used languages for education and work purposes.
Via the online questionnaire, we could figure out the main reasons for Kazakhstani students to come to Austria. The quality of education, safety and future prospects are relevant for the majority of responders.
This research project helped us to shed light on the current language situation of the Kazakhstani minority, but nevertheless there is still room for investigation.