Reform of Alphabetic Latinization in Kazakhstan: From Theoretical Discussion into Practice

Wu Hongwei

Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2018, Vol. 3 ›› Issue (4) : 31-41.

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Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2018, Vol. 3 ›› Issue (4) : 31-41. DOI: 10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20180403

Reform of Alphabetic Latinization in Kazakhstan: From Theoretical Discussion into Practice

  • Wu Hongwei
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Abstract

During the Soviet era, languages of many nations, including Kazakh, once used the Latin alphabet, and later used Cyrillic alphabet in the fi rst half of the 20th century. After the independence in 1991, under the infl uence of Turkey, Central Asian countries put forward the discussion about the use of Latin alphabet on the basis of main nation language. In 1993, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan took the lead in reform of alphabetic Latinization. In the end of 2017, after years of debates and discussions, Kazakhstan finally started the reform of alphabetic Latinization and planned to finish it in 2025. According to the reform experience in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, languages have their own rules of self-development. Artifi cial shortening the process of development may produce unexpected results. After the reform of alphabetic Latinization, there would be the coexistence of two alphabet systems in Kazakhstan. In 1960s-1980s, Kazakh in China also experienced reform of alphabetic Latinization. Nowadays, letters on the basis of Arabic alphabet are widely used.

Key words

Kazakhstan / reform of alphabetic Latinization / review and current status / future trends

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Wu Hongwei. Reform of Alphabetic Latinization in Kazakhstan: From Theoretical Discussion into Practice[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2018, 3(4): 31-41 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20180403

References

阿力肯·阿吾哈力 2006 《哈萨克斯坦哈萨克语教程》(第一册),北京:民族出版社。
埃·捷尼舍夫 1981 《突厥语言研究导论》,陈鹏译,北京:中国社会科学出版社。
乌·阿·伊斯特林 1987 《文字的产生和发展》,左少兴译,北京:北京大学出版社。

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