Role of motivation and attitude: Learning Turkish and Greek in Cyprus

Abstract

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions: After years of conflict, struggle and separation, the partial opening of the Green Line that divides Cyprus made mutual transitions and contact between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots possible. Soon after, Greek and Turkish language courses started to attract interest and gained popularity. This study aims to identify the motivations that led both community members to learn the language of ‘the other community’ and discover their attitudes towards each other and the target language. Design/Methodology/Approach: A questionnaire that includes motivation and attitude scales and subscales on a five-point Likert-type scale was prepared both in Turkish and English. It was distributed to the Turkish and Greek Cypriots who were attending evening classes at that time. The study employed a quantitative approach. Data and Analysis: Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS 18 statistical package. Frequency analysis and independent samples t-tests were applied. Results/Conclusions: Both community members have intrinsic motivation to continue the language classes. The participants express their enjoyment of the feeling of accomplishment that comes with learning to speak another language successfully in this regard. The Greek Cypriots are driven by their integrative motivation as they illustrate their wish to feel closer to the Turkish Cypriots and communicate with them. In terms of language attitudes, the Turkish Cypriots tend to exhibit more positive attitudes, mostly due to economic reasons. However, the fact that the Greek Cypriots do not cross the border seems to reveal their negative attitudes towards the Turkish Cypriots. Overall, the members of both communities are hesitant to express their opinions about each other. Originality and Significance/Implications: This study provides the evidence that despite having a cautious stance towards the other community, various motivational factors encourage Turkish and Greek Cypriots to take language classes. The study emphasizes that more steps should be taken both at social and political levels to bring the members of the two Cypriot communities closer, to enable language contact, and to smooth out the sceptic attitudes about each other.