The Linguistic Obstacles of Bilingualism Phenomenon to Turkmen-Persian Bilingual Students’ Information Behavior

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Payam Noor University

2 Lecturer, Department of Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Payam Noor University

Abstract

Objective: It appears that bilingualism affects bilingual users’ information behavior in information environments. The study aims to investigate the role of linguistic obstacles to Turkmen-Persian bilinguals’ information behavior.
Method: In this qualitative research, data was gathered by observing and interviewing about 50 Turkmen students. Data was codified and the main themes of extracted data were recorded.
Findings: The majority of participants were better at writing and reading than speaking in Persian. The reason is that their language learning had been formal in which the dominant medium is written one, not oral one. This obstacle cause them to have problems in stating their information needs and searching for information at initial phases and not to be able to determine the proper information search strategies with the help of monolingual informed people and specialists.
Originality/value: In addition to explaining lingual obstacles to information behavior, this exploratory study set forth conducting similar studies in other bilingual and multilingual speakers.

Keywords