Azerbaijan's Script Evolution: Cyrillic Usage Explored

Azerbaijan has used three different scripts: Arabic, Latin, and Cyrillic. The Arabic script was introduced to the region in the 7th century and was used until the 1920s. In 1929, the New Turkish Alphabet Committee in Baku created a Latin alphabet for Azeri. However, in 1939, Joseph Stalin ordered the Cyrillic alphabet to be used by Azeri speakers in the Soviet Union. After Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991, it switched back to the Latin alphabet, and since then, the Latin alphabet has been the official alphabet of the Azerbaijani language in the Republic of Azerbaijan. While the Latin alphabet is the official script in Azerbaijan today, the Cyrillic alphabet is still used in Dagestan, where Azerbaijani is one of the official languages.

Cyrillic was forcibly imposed on Azerbaijan by Joseph Stalin in 1939

The use of the Cyrillic alphabet in Azerbaijan was imposed by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1939. The Cyrillic alphabet was introduced to sever ties between the Soviet Azerbaijani Turks and the Turkish people in the Republic of Turkey. This was done by replacing the Latin script that had been in use since the 1920s.

The Cyrillic alphabet was used in Azerbaijan for over 60 years, and the transition back to the Latin alphabet was not easy for the country's almost 8 million people. Many complained about not being able to read new road signs, and newspapers lost readers as a result of the switch.

The change was seen by some as a way to get rid of the Soviet and Russian psychology and restore the Latin alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet was perceived as a symbol of Russia and Soviet statehood. The transition was also seen as a way to bring Azerbaijan closer to Europe, especially Turkey, which shares a similar language written in Latin script.

The use of the Cyrillic alphabet in Azerbaijan was a politically charged issue. Some saw it as an attempt to suppress political debate by making it difficult for citizens to read newspapers. Others feared it could marginalize ethnic Russians and other non-ethnic Azerbaijanis.

The Cyrillic alphabet was replaced by the Latin alphabet in 2001

The Cyrillic alphabet was replaced by the Latin alphabet in Azerbaijan in 2001. This change was the culmination of a transition period that began in 1991 when the country gained its independence from the Soviet Union and its parliament passed a law to adopt a new Latin-script alphabet. The Latin alphabet had previously been used to write Azerbaijani in various forms from 1922 to 1939, before Joseph Stalin ordered the use of the Cyrillic alphabet in 1939.

The transition period from 1991 to 2001 saw both the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets accepted as official scripts. However, the use of the Latin alphabet was partial and limited in some cases to headlines in newspapers, while the stories remained in Cyrillic. In June 2001, President Heydar Aliyev ordered the completion of the transition by 1 August of the same year. This caused some controversy, as people had reportedly been complaining about their inability to read new road signs, and there were concerns about the cost of the switch and its potential impact on ethnic Russians in the country.

The change from Cyrillic to Latin script was not a simple matter of replacing letters. The Latin alphabet used from 1991 to 1992 was revised in May 1992, with the letter 'ä' being replaced by 'ə' and the order of letters changed. This revised alphabet is the official script of the Azerbaijani language in the Republic of Azerbaijan today.

The switch back to the Latin alphabet was driven by several factors. Proponents of the change argued that it would bring Azerbaijan closer to Europe, especially Turkey, which shares a similar language written in Latin script. Additionally, the Cyrillic alphabet was associated with the Soviet Union and Russia, and the change was seen as a way to distance the country from its Soviet past and embrace its independence.

It is worth noting that the Cyrillic alphabet is still used by Azerbaijanis of Dagestan, where it is one of the official languages.

The Latin alphabet is the official alphabet of the Azerbaijani language in the Republic of Azerbaijan

After Azerbaijan gained its independence in 1991, one of the first laws passed in the new Parliament was the adoption of a new Latin-script alphabet. The period from 1991 to 2001 was a transitional period when both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets were accepted. Since 2001, the Azerbaijani Latin alphabet has been the official alphabet of the Azerbaijani language in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The switch from Cyrillic to Latin caused some confusion, and there was a shortage of typewriters and computer fonts that could be used to write in the new alphabet. The Latin alphabet used to write Turkish is very similar to the Azerbaijani one, so Turkish typewriters were in high demand during the transition. The Latin alphabet consists of 32 letters and is the same as the Turkish alphabet, except for the letters for sounds that do not exist as separate phonemes in Turkish.

While Latin is the official alphabet in Azerbaijan, the Cyrillic script is still used in some instances, particularly by older generations who learned it before the switch to Latin. In Dagestan, where Azerbaijani is one of the official languages, the language is still based on the Cyrillic alphabet.

The Cyrillic alphabet is still used in Dagestan, Russia, where Azerbaijani is one of the official languages

Dagestan is an autonomous republic within Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. The region has a diverse population, including a significant number of ethnic Azerbaijanis. North Azerbaijani is one of the official languages of Dagestan, along with Russian and a number of other languages spoken in the region.

The use of the Cyrillic alphabet in Azerbaijan dates back to the country's time as a Soviet republic. In 1939, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin ordered that the Azeri Latin script used in the USSR be changed to the Cyrillic script. This was done to sever the ties between the Soviet Azerbaijani Turks and the Turkish people in the Republic of Turkey. The Cyrillic alphabet had been in use in Azerbaijan for over 60 years when the country transitioned to a Latin script in the early 2000s.

The adoption of the Latin script in Azerbaijan was a politically charged issue. Proponents of the reform argued that it would bring Azerbaijan closer to Europe and Turkey, which shares a similar language written in the Latin script. They also believed that Latin letters better suited the phonetics of Azeri. On the other hand, opponents of the regime criticised the cost of the switch and argued that it could marginalise ethnic Russians and other non-ethnic Azerbaijanis in the country.

The transition to the Latin alphabet in Azerbaijan was not without challenges. There was a chronic shortage of typewriters and computer fonts that could be used to write in the new alphabet. Additionally, many people struggled with the change, especially those over 40, as they had been using the Cyrillic alphabet for most of their lives. Despite these difficulties, the Azerbaijani government pushed for a swift transition, with President Heidar Aliyev ordering that the change be completed by 1 August 2001.

The transition from Cyrillic to Latin was difficult for many Azerbaijanis, who had used Cyrillic for over 60 years

The Cyrillic alphabet was forcibly imposed on Azerbaijan by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1939, replacing the Latin script that had been in use since 1929. The switch back to Latin in 1991 caused considerable confusion, and there was a shortage of typewriters and computer fonts that could be used to write in the new alphabet. This was because the Latin alphabet used to write Turkish is very similar to the Azerbaijani one, so Turkish typewriters were in high demand.

The transition to Latin was not just a practical challenge but also a politically sensitive issue. Proponents of the change argued that it would bring Azerbaijan closer to Europe and Turkey, which shares a similar language written in Latin script. They also said that Latin letters better suit the phonetics of Azeri. On the other hand, some feared that the switch could marginalize ethnic Russians, who make up about 2.5% of the country's population, and other non-ethnic Azerbaijanis. There were also concerns about the cost of the switch, which was estimated at $4 million, and some critics argued that the money could have been better spent on helping refugees affected by the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The difficulties of the transition were evident in the everyday lives of Azerbaijanis. People reported being unable to read new road signs, and newspapers had to work around the clock to convert their printing presses to the new script. Even after the official transition period, some older people still found it easier to write using the Cyrillic alphabet.

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