President Nazarbayev sets the task to have the Kazakh language transit to the Latin alphabet by 2025

Photo courtesy of master-y.ru

When speaking at a solemn meeting to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence December 14, President Nursultan Nazarbayev tasked the Government to start prep works to transit to the Latin alphabet by 2025. Currently Kazakh language relies on the Cyrillic alphabet. Earlier President Nazarbayev’s Advisor on political issues Ermukhamet Ertysbayev said that shifting to the Latin alphabet is inevitable. According to him, the process may take up to 10 years. “In the era of globalization when Kazakhstan has intensified relations with other nations (…) shifting to the Latin alphabet is an acute issue”, he stressed. Tengrinews.kz reported in June 2011 the then Culture Minister of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Kul-Mukhamed had spoken in favor of shifting to the Latin alphabet. According to him, the Kazakh alphabet consists of 41 letters, the Russian alphabet of 33 letters, whereas Latin alphabet only consists of 25-26 letters, which is more convenient. The Minister believed at that time the Latin alphabet is - among other things - more user-friendly when it comes to mobile phones, tablets and PCs.

When speaking at a solemn meeting to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence December 14, President Nursultan Nazarbayev tasked the Government to start prep works to transit to the Latin alphabet by 2025. Currently Kazakh language relies on the Cyrillic alphabet. Earlier President Nazarbayev’s Advisor on political issues Ermukhamet Ertysbayev said that shifting to the Latin alphabet is inevitable. According to him, the process may take up to 10 years. “In the era of globalization when Kazakhstan has intensified relations with other nations (…) shifting to the Latin alphabet is an acute issue”, he stressed. Tengrinews.kz reported in June 2011 the then Culture Minister of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Kul-Mukhamed had spoken in favor of shifting to the Latin alphabet. According to him, the Kazakh alphabet consists of 41 letters, the Russian alphabet of 33 letters, whereas Latin alphabet only consists of 25-26 letters, which is more convenient. The Minister believed at that time the Latin alphabet is - among other things - more user-friendly when it comes to mobile phones, tablets and PCs.

president news Nazarbayev Latin alphabet language Kazakhstan Kazakh