Endangered Kashmiri Language: Threat to Kashmiri Identity

Abstract

This paper examines the endangerment of the Kashmiri language in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The primary objective of the study was to identify the key factors contributing to the endangerment of the Kashmiri language in Muzaffarabad, AJK. A quantitative research design was employed within the positivist tradition, using a cross-sectional research method. The study was conducted in Khawaja Mohalla, Muzaffarabad, a predominantly native Kashmiri-speaking community. A sample of 400 respondents was selected using the Taro Yamane formula, with participants chosen through purposive sampling. We collected data via a questionnaire and analysed it through SPSS. The overall conclusion we have drawn from the study is that the Kashmiri language is endangered due to several factors. To prevent further endangerment, several measures need to be taken immediately. One significant issue identified is the failure of elders to fulfill their role in preserving and passing down the language to younger generations, leading to reduced motivation among youth to learn their mother tongue. We substantiate the social identity theory that the Kashmiri language becomes marginalized, leading to identity endangerment. This is best understood as a process that threatens both individual and collective identity. To safeguard the language, authorities must include Kashmiri literature in school curricula.