Endangered languages in focus at YSU Iranian Studies Chair

The Chair of Iranian Studies at YSU Faculty of Oriental Studies continues to focus sustained scholarly attention on regional languages that are often excluded from state policies and pushed to the brink of extinction. Within the framework of a grant provided by the Armenian Higher Education and Science Committee, a scholarly workshop was held at YSU under the title "Endangered Languages in Azerbaijan: The Beginning of a New Phase in State Language Policy (Since 2021)."

Vardan Voskanyan, Head of the Chair of Iranian Studies at YSU Faculty of Oriental Studies, underscored the importance of the topic within their academic field, noting that the chair’s researchers study not only Persian but also a number of stateless languages belonging to national minorities living in Azerbaijan, which are part of the Iranian linguistic branch. These include Kurdish (Kurmanji dialect), Talysh, and Caucasian Persian, better known as Tat.

"The Chair of Iranian Studies at YSU is a unique academic and educational center where these languages are taught and studied through rigorous scientific methodology. Our research program, currently in its initial phase, aims to theoretically uncover the systemic obstacles that render these languages effectively endangered," Vardan Voskanyan explained.

During the workshop, the first findings of the research conducted under the program were presented. Speakers addressed the status of Kurdish, Talysh, and Tat languages, Azerbaijan’s state policy that denies the very existence of these languages, the impact of linguistic restrictions on the identity of these peoples, analyses of textbook content, and related issues.

According to Vardan Voskanyan, the communities speaking these languages highly appreciate YSU’s role: "We have received much encouragement, especially from the Kurdish community, regarding the two textbooks we published and the teaching of Kurdish. The Talysh community expressed admiration since the only university-level Talysh language book worldwide has been published right here at YSU. Regarding Tat, our scientific studies were recently summarized in an article co-authored by Associate Professor Artyom Tonoyan from the Chair of Iranian Studies and myself, which presents the entire history of Tat language research and the specific features of its linguistic documentation."

Today, the Chair of Iranian Studies remains one of the few academic institutions that scientifically address the linguistic rights of these peoples and the preservation of endangered languages.

"While such initiatives inside Azerbaijan often face dismissive attitudes, in Armenia these languages are transformed into subjects of scientific research and recognition," Vardan Voskanyan concluded.