A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Relationship Between Language Ecology and Language Sustainability: Evidence from Kazakh Language Studies in the Digital Media Ecosystem

Abstract

The present study examines the relationship between language ecology and language sustainability in the context of Kazakh language use within the digital media ecosystem. Drawing on a meta-analytic design, it synthesizes empirical findings from 22 studies with a total sample size of 255,150. The analysis focuses on how ecological conditions, including language policy, digital content availability, identity-related factors, educational settings, and computational linguistic capacity, are associated with sustainability outcomes for Kazakh in digital environments. A random-effects model was employed due to the methodological and conceptual diversity of the included studies. The overall pooled effect size indicated a large, positive, and statistically significant association between language ecology and language sustainability (r = .64, 95% CI [.04, .90], p = .039). However, substantial heterogeneity was observed, suggesting that the strength and direction of this relationship vary across research designs, data sources, sustainability types, and levels of digital media integration. Moderator analyses further showed that publication year, data collection tools, sample characteristics, ecological context, and digital platform type shape the observed effects. The findings highlight the importance of integrating ecological and digital approaches to support the long-term sustainability of Kazakh.