INTERVIEWS
The process of enrichment of the Azerbaijani language is being successfully carried out
Q: Since 2001, August 1 has been marked as the day of Azerbaijani alphabet and language. We would like you to stress the importance of national leader Heydar Aliyev`s move to set up this day?
Q: On 9 August 2001, national leader Heydar Aliyev issued a decree "On instituting day of Azerbaijani alphabet and Azerbaijani language" whereby annually 1 August has been marked as the Day of Azerbaijan Alphabet and Azerbaijani Language.
The issue of reforming existing alphabet was put into agenda at a time when Azerbaijan restored its independence. In fact, transition to a new alphabet was outlined in 1991, the first year of independence.
In general, language policy was the core element of the state building process carried out by national leader Heydar Aliyev. He preserved all national and moral values of Azerbaijan, including our language. The process of enrichment of the Azerbaijani language is being successfully carried out.
Q: We would like to know your opinion about the advantages of the shift to the Latin script…
A: The shift to the Latin script was a timely and well thought-out move. The shift to another alphabet is a very complicated issue. There have been many alphabets in use in Azerbaijan. Shifting to the Latin alphabet has its own advantages. As you know the process of shifting to the Latin script took 10 years, having started in 1990s and ended in 2001.
Thanks to national leader Heydar Aliyev`s far-sighted policy schools shifter to the Latin alphabet first. Then government bodies and the press shifted to the Latin script. And there were serious reasons why the press was last to shift to the Latin alphabet.
I would like to emphasize that our experience in this field is studied by other Turkic republics. For example, a couple of years ago a large Kazakh delegation visited Azerbaijan. They held numerous meetings with linguists, government officials, religious leaders, and ordinary people and youth to learn their opinion about the advantages of the Latin script. As a result they also decided to shift to the Latin alphabet.
Today national leader Heydar Aliyev`s language policy is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev. The existence of Latin script mass publications is a vivid evidence of this. President Ilham Aliyev attaches particular emphasis to our mother tongue, our national values and moral traditions, our ancient and rich culture. The head of state initiated the republication of outstanding literary works in the Latin alphabet.
Q: What about the legislation in this field?
A: As you know the Milli Majlis is improving the Law on State Language on a constant basis. Our most successful and remarkable document in this field is the State Program on the use of Azerbaijani language in the context of globalization in accordance with the requirements of the time, and the development of linguistics in the country. The program contributes to strengthening the government-society relations in preserving the language.
Q: How does globalization affect the development of the language?
A: The approval by President Ilham Aliyev of the State Program on the use of Azerbaijani language in the context of globalization in accordance with the requirements of the time, and the development of linguistics in the country was a remarkable event. The program envisages the strengthening of government support for the use and study of the Azerbaijani language, the use of the Azerbaijani language in the context of globalization in accordance with the requirements of time, improvement of linguistic researches, and other issues.
The use of the Azerbaijani language and its study as one of the national and state symbols has created favorable conditions for improvement of the linguistic sciences in the country. Another positive factor is the wide application of advanced technologies in the context of globalization.
Azerbaijan has always welcomed the idea of world integration, which is evidenced by the presence of thousands of Arabic, Persian and European words in our language.