The Reasons for Bilingualism among Bangladeshis in the City of Erbil: A Sociolinguistic Study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to shed light on the reasons why Bangladeshi workers in the city of Erbil are learning Kurdish. The main research questions of this study are as follows: What are the reasons that motivate Bangladeshi workers in Erbil to learn and use the Kurdish language? How does learning Kurdish influence the social and economic lives of Bangladeshi workers in Erbil? To obtain data, an open-ended survey is used involving 110 Bangladeshi workers in Erbil. To analyze the attained data, the researcher used a mixed methods research approach, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The current study concluded that learning Kurdish helps Bangladeshi workers in Erbil get jobs, integrate into Kurdish culture and society, and have a good life.