Uzbekistan’s Alphabet Reform Revives a 33-Year-Old Debate

Uzbekistan began switching from Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet in 1993 and initially planned to complete the transition by 2000. Nearly 33 years later, both scripts are still widely used, and the country is preparing to revise its Latin alphabet again. On July 7, the lower house of Uzbekistan’s parliament approved a bill introducing a new version of the alphabet, with 28 letters and one apostrophe instead of the current 26 letters and three letter combinations, and sent it to the Senate. Literary scholar Dilbar Khaydarova told The Times of Central Asia that a reform originally intended to take seven years has stretched across a generation. She attributes the delay mainly to an inconsistent transition, with schools moving faster than publishers and much of the government. “After 30 or 31 years, these small corrections have prompted another reform,” she said. A Reform That Stretched Across Decades Uzbekistan adopted the law introducing a Latin-based alphabet in 1993. Schools were to use the new script first, while adults were expected to have opportunities to study it at workplaces and institutions. The transition was initially due to be completed by 2000. In 1995, the deadline was extended to 2005 and later postponed to 2010. The original alphabet was revised in 1995, when sh and ch were adopted and ng was listed separately. That revision also introduced the forms o‘ and g‘, establishing an alphabet of 26 letters and three letter combinations. Two Alphabets for One Country Schools switched to Latin, while Cyrillic remained common in government and the publishing industry. The media also continued using the script for years, and the Soviet-educated generation remained active in public institutions after 1993. As a result, children learned to write in Latin but continued to encounter Cyrillic in publications and official documents. The same script remained in use when they entered the workplace. “Even if we became literate in Latin, we also developed the ability to read and write in Cyrillic,” Khaydarova said. “Because the situation required it.” She describes this as the coexistence of “two policies or practices that did not correspond to each other.” This mismatch, she believes, largely explains why the transition has lasted for decades. That pattern persists, with some major publications using Latin while others continue publishing in Cyrillic. Khaydarova says the difference does not necessarily reflect opposition to the reform because publishers must consider their audiences’ habits. The Cost of the New Alphabet Implementing the revised alphabet will involve costs beyond school textbooks. Since 1993, Uzbekistan has accumulated a vast body of material in both Cyrillic and the current version of Latin. For publishers, this raises questions about whether existing publications should be converted to the revised script and who will pay for the work. “If they lose a significant share of their audience, there will be serious financial risks in the future,” Khaydarova said. Khaydarova believes the state will have to bear some of the cost by supporting publishers that convert existing materials to the revised script. “The more sources of...

Taliban Remove Uzbek Language from Samangan University Sign

The Taliban have removed Uzbek and Persian inscriptions from the main signboard of Samangan University in northern Afghanistan, replacing them with a new sign written only in Pashto and English. The move, reported by Afghanistan International, has drawn criticism amid ongoing concerns about the marginalization of non-Pashtun languages and communities since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Sources told Afghanistan International that the change followed the appointment of a new university head. The previous sign, which featured the university’s name in four languages, Pashto, Persian, Uzbek, and English, was taken down and replaced approximately four days later with a version that excluded the Persian and Uzbek languages. Samangan province is home to a significant ethnic Uzbek population. The decision has provoked backlash from academics and former officials. Former Faryab governor Naqibullah Faiq condemned the move as “ethno-nationalist,” warning that such actions risk exacerbating ethnic and linguistic tensions in the country. In response, some Uzbek and Persian speakers have publicly called for the reinstatement of their languages on the university sign. Mohibullah Mohib, a lecturer at Samangan University, wrote on Facebook that the sign change coincided with the institution’s transition from an institute of higher education to a full-fledged university. According to Mohib, the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education ordered the new sign and formally rejected a request to include Uzbek. He added that the ministry's written response explicitly denied the inclusion of Uzbek alongside the other languages. This is not the first incident of its kind. In October, the Taliban removed Uzbek from the signboard of Jawzjan University, sparking widespread criticism. Following public outcry, Uzbek was later reinstated on that sign. Over the past four years, the Taliban have faced repeated accusations of sidelining minority languages such as Persian, Uzbek, and Turkmen, including by removing Persian-language signage from government buildings and erasing cultural symbols associated with Persian-speaking poets and writers. The latest incident has also drawn attention in Uzbekistan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Akhror Burkhanov told Qalampir.uz that Tashkent is closely monitoring the situation. He emphasized that any potential restrictions on the Uzbek language are a serious concern for Uzbekistan. Burkhanov stated that Uzbekistan is maintaining an ongoing dialogue with Afghan authorities. According to him, Afghan officials have assured Tashkent that no restrictions on the Uzbek language are currently in place or planned. They have also reiterated their respect for Uzbekistan, the Uzbek language, and the Uzbek people.