New version of Latin-based Kazakh alphabet presented at Government
During the session, Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova and Director of the Baiturssynov Institute of Language Studies Anar Fazylzhanova reported on the work done to improve the Latin-based Kazakh alphabet. Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin briefed on the keyboard arrangement of letters of the Latin-based Kazakh alphabet, while Minister of Education and Science Askhat Aimagambetov told those present about the work to be done to switch to the Latin-based Kazakh alphabet.
The work to switch the Kazakh language to the Latin-based script began back in 2017 at the initiative of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan-Elbasy, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Over 40 versions of the Latin-based script of the Kazakh alphabet were reviewed in line with the instruction of Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev given on October 21, 2019.
The improved Latin-based version of the alphabet consists of 31 symbols. Ä-umlaut was selected to represent the Kazakh letter ә, ö-umlaut was selected to represent the Kazakh letter ө, ü-umlaut was selected to represent the Kazakh letter ү, ū-macron was selected to represent the Kazakh letter ұ, ğ-breve was selected to represent the Kazakh letter ғ, and ş-cedilla was selected to represent the letter ш.
Kazakhstan is expected to switch gradually to the new version of the Latin-based alphabet from 2023 through 2031.
During the session, Prime Minister Mamin said the improved version of the alphabet will give a new impulse to the development of the Kazakh language and will help modernize it in line with the modern trends. He added that a lot of preparatory work on gradual transition to the Latin-based Kazakh alphabet is ahead.