The Study of Social Variables and Immigration on the Usage of Lectals Based on the Cognitive-Socio Linguistics

This study investigates the social status of the varieties of Iranian languages and dialects towards the perspective of the hidden cognitive realities of real language use within the framework of the lectal variation theory. Using this usage-based theory, researchers have explored the language speakers’ desire and tendency towards different language varieties considering the independent social variables of financial level of living and occupation. A researcher-constructed survey questionnaire and interview were used in this study. Linguistic data were collected from a total of 314 participants selected semi-randomly among the language community of immigrants living in Tehran, with Turkish, Laki, Kurdish, Baluchi and Mazandarani languages as well as Mashhadi, Lori, Hamedani, Isfahani and Yazdi dialects. The Likert scale, Cronbach’s alpha, the Chi-square test, the P-value and one-dimensional student’s t-test were used in this study. According to the results, the use of non-standard varieties is more common among retired employees. Economically the lower strata have the highest use of non-standard varieties. 83.54 percent of the speakers of language varieties in Tehran prefer to use the standard language variety in daily conversation in the society. Considering the migration variable, using non-standard language varieties of first-generation immigrants is more common than the second-generation immigrants.