Sociolinguistic aspect of language policy of Kazakhstan

Sociolinguistic aspect of language… 
Серия «Филология». № 2(86)/2017 
25 
E.D. Suleimenova, Z.K. Akhmetzhanova, S.T. Sayn, N.Zh. Shaimerdenova and others, also young scientists 
K.M. Baybossynova, A.M. Kumarova, A. Abassilova, G.S. Suyunova, S.A. Assanbayeva, D.Zh. Kassymova, 
G.D. Aldabergenova, G.M. Alimzhanova and others can be noted in this direction. In the scientific works 
of scientists studying the linguistic construction and the situation of Kazakhstan, the current problems of so-
cial linguistics were widely discussed. But it is impossible not to mention the fact that social linguistics in 
Kazakhstan was established as one of the directions of sociolinguistics of the USSR, having used all previ-
ously accumulated theoretical experience and took into account the uniqueness of the linguistic realities of 
Kazakhstan. We made an attempt to review some of the studies of language policy of Kazakhstan in our work. 
B. Khassanuly gives a complete description of the language situations of Kazakhstan in his work «Lan-
guages of Kazakhstan people and their interaction» published in 1976 for the first time. This work analyzes 
the interaction of languages of Kazakhstan people, the level of language proficiency of consumers, scope of 
use and basic functions in society with specific statistic data, in 1987-1989 scientific works of B. Khassanuly 
«Kazakh-Russian bilingualism» (sociolinguistic aspect), «National languages: search and perspectives», 
where the author analyses the way of origin/formation and reveals the peculiarities of Kazakh-Russian bilin-
gualism were published. The experience and language levels of all ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan, taking 
into account specific statistical data were studied in this work. The definitions of the concepts of 
monolingualism, bilingualism, three-, four-and multilingualism were given for the first time, sociolinguistic 
descriptions were considered as well. Two, three and four lingual representatives of ethnic groups occurring 
in the Kazakhstan experience were described on specific examples [3]. 
In the 1990s, the issues of bilingualism, multilingualism and diglossia were widely discussed in Ka-
zakhstan sociolinguistics and a number of scientific works were written. For example, the issues of interac-
tion of languages, the origin of bilingualism, its place in society, natural and artificial bilingualism were ana-
lyzed in the work of A.E. Karlinsky «Theory basics of languages interaction» (1990), definitions to the terms 
language team, interference and its types, types of intercalation were given as well.
In 1990, a book «Language policy in Kazakhstan and ways of its realization», dedicated to the issues of 
language policy of Kazakhstan was published. The research of M.M. Kopylenko and Z.K. Ahkmetzhanova 
«Psycholinguistic aspect of bilingualism. Problems of the national-Russian bilingualism» has made a signifi-
cant contribution to the development of the theory of bilingualism [3].
Language policy determines the strategic course in the development of the language situation in the 
country, regulates language planning (including corpus planning of languages, status planning of languages, 
planning of languages spreading, planning of language acquisition), is fixed in the language legislation and 
state programmes of development and support of languages [2; 275]. 
Independence of Kazakhstan played a special role in the formation of language ideology, language 
planning and language policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Many Kazakh researchers pay attention to the 
fact that the acquisition of the own language policy closely and inseparably connected with the personality 
and work of the First President N.A. Nazarbayev as one of the protagonists, theorists and practitioners of the 
new linguo-political course that took place in Kazakhstan since gaining independence at the turn of 80-90s of 
the XX century. For example, during public and parliamentary debate on the first version of the Law on lan-
guages (1989), N.A. Nazarbayev took an active part in its development and promotion as a supporter of a 
balanced, centrist and egalitarian version of the law, countervailing the rights of all parties of polemics and 
did not allow granting privileges to any of the languages. Further, the spirit and the letter of this approach 
were retained and developed in all subsequent versions of the Law on languages, concept of language policy 
and public programs of development and support of languages [4]. 
As all the researchers note, the idea of multilingualism, trilingualismtakes special place in the language 
policy of Kazakhstan. The idea of the introduction of trilingualism, i.e. learning Kazakh, Russian and Eng-
lish languages by Kazakhstan citizens was announced by the President in October 2006 at the XII session of 
the Assembly of people of Kazakhstan. And in the Message 2007 «New Kazakhstan in the new world» 
N.Nazarbayev proposed to begin a phased implementation of the cultural project «Trinity of languages»: 
«Kazakhstan should be perceived worldwide as a highly educated country whose population can speak three 
languages. They are: Kazakh — the state language, Russian — the language of interethnic communication, 
and English — the language of successful integration into the global economy» [5]. 
B. Khassanuly says that trilingualism is «the alternate use of three languages in a heterogeneous society 
by representatives of one ethnic group» [6; 356]. 
Accession of Kazakhstan to the Bologna process played a significant role in the development of 
trilingualism in Kazakhstan. According to the principles of the Bologna Declaration, the system of multilin-

G.Yu. Аmanbayeva, Sh.N. Issabek 
26 
Вестник Карагандинского университета 
gual education must be implemented in Kazakhstan,English must be used along with Kazakh and Russian 
languages. The aim of the Bologna process is the creation of a strong and competitive education system in 
the world. 
The need of learning Kazakh, Russian and English languages creates the basis for the education of 
trilingualism. However, it is necessary to take into account at language planning the fact that bilingualism in 
the Republic of Kazakhstan is a natural process occurring among the total population, regardless of age, na-
tionality, and trilingualism is adjustable and process formed on «top». 
M.S. Filimonova and D.A. Krylov note that in general, trilingualism as a modern socio-cultural phe-
nomenon develops under the influence of the following factors: strengthening of the role of socio-cultural 
component; creation of a unified educational space; need for multilingual training; development of the global 
information space [7].
And in 2005, studying language policy in Kazakhstan, E.D. Suleimenova, Zh.S.Smagulova made a de-
cision and systematized paradigm «language policy-the language situation». «Language policy in Kazakh-
stan has already won the support of the majority of citizens and the recognition by the world community: 
first and foremost from partners in the CIS, countries of near and far abroad, countries-members of the UN 
and reputable international organizations. Today the world's leading linguists give definition to the language 
policy in Kazakhstan as «concentrated expression of the state's attitude to issues of linguistic existence», de-
scribe as «a series of successful experiments» and relate it to politics of «Renaissance type» and, in general, 
qualify as «centralized (because it is held by government and provides a system of mandatory events), prom-
ising (as it is aimed at changing of the existing language situation), democratic (because it takes into account 
the interests of the broad masses), international (as the development of Kazakh language, Russian language 
and languages of all other ethnic groups were chosen as main strategic directions), structural (as it is aimed at 
the expansion of language functions, sphere of application, social-communicative role and vitality of Kazakh 
language, maintaining of the development and functioning of Russian language and other languages of the 
country)» [8; 276, 277]. 
Analysis of the language situation in the Republic of Kazakhstan without study of national-Russian, es-
pecially Kazakh-Russian, bilingualism would be incomplete, because it is possible to understand and evalu-
ate the role of bilingualism in society only by consideration it as an integral part of the language situation. 
The representation of the population of the Republic of Kazakhstan on ethnic grounds in general terms 
as follows: western and eastern parts of the republic are less multiethnic, northern, southern and central ones 
are more multiethnic. Linguistically, the situation in these regions was formed approximately in the follow-
ing way: Kazakh language prevails in the west and south of Kazakhstan, and Russian is the dominant lan-
guage in the north, east and central part of the country. Each of the regions has its specific linguistic feature. 
The linguistic development of the regions depends from this and other factors. 
A number of studies on the language situation in Kazakhstan can be specified: these are scientific works 
of A.E. Karlinsky, M.M. Kopylenko, B.I. Rakisheva, Zh.S. Smagulova, N.Zh. Shaimerdenova, dissertation 
research of A.M. Abashilova and B.Zh. Kurmanova on general problems of functioning of Kazakh language 
in several northern regions (Akmola, Kostanai, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan and former Kokchetav and 
Turgay regions) and west (Aktobe, Aktau, Atyrau and Ural) regions. 
Alma-Atinskaya (now Almatinskaya), Kzyl-Ordinskaya (now Kyzylordinskaya), Kokchetavskaya (now 
Akmolinskaya), Semipalatinskaya (now East Kazakhstan) (see works by M.M. Kopylenko, S.T. Saina, 1982; 
D.D. Shaibakova, 2006), Pavlodarskaya (see works by G.S. Suyunova, 1995; K.M. Tekzhanova, 2005), and 
Akmolinskaya (see G.A. Dosmukhambetova, 2002) regions were subjected to in-depth study. 
Several years passed since those studies, however, the problems of the state language, despite some 
achievements, is still acute. It is particularly relevant today to highlight the problem from the inside, to learn, 
to understand and to recommend possible ways of its decision. 
The concept of «language situation» is in the process of language interaction — bilingualism. The prob-
lem of bilingualism formation is closely connected with the theory of contact and interaction of languages. It 
is extremely relevant to many of the former republics of the Soviet Union due to the fact that although the 
official languages were declared as national languages, Russian language prevails in the various areas of 
communication. 
With the acquisition of the sovereignty by Kazakhstan, Kazakh language was given the state status and 
Russian language received status of language of international communication. The adoption of the language 
of the titular nation in the national republics as state one necessitated the study by its representatives of all 
nations living on the territory of the republic, which contributed to the formation of a new type of bilingual-
ism. 

Sociolinguistic aspect of language… 
Серия «Филология». № 2(86)/2017 
27 
The basis for the emergence and functioning of bilingualism in the Republic of Kazakhstan let the Ka-
zakhs to settle (D.D. Shaibakova), «multinational composition of the northern regions of Kazakhstan» 
(B.A. Gadzieva), vicinity of borders with Russia (K.M. Tekzhanov), «territorial contact of one nation with 
another one or joint settlement of different people in the same territory» (G.A. Bazarbayeva), demographic 
factor: resettlement and migration of people to Kazakhstan (K.Kh. Rakhimzhanov). 
At present, many types of bi - and multilingualism formed in multilingual Kazakhstan, which are dif-
fered by the regions of spread, coverage of different spheres of languages functioning, specificity of influ-
ence of the first language on the second one and other. (Z.K. Akhmetzhanova). 
Despite the fact that bilingualism had been studied in several scientific works by A.M. Abassilov, 
O.B. Altynbekova, Z.K. Akhmetzhanova, B.A. Gadziyeva, G.A. Dosmukhambetova, B.I. Rakisheva, 
Zh.S. Smagulova, E.D. Suleimenova, B.Kh. Khassenuly, D.D. Shaibakova, N.Zh.Shaimerdenova, many as-
pects of the topic left out of sight. The regional aspect related to them, although the differences are generally 
recognized in linguistic situation of individual regions: the north and south, border areas. 
B. Khassanly describes Kazakh-Russian bilingualism, which is characteristic for our country as follows: 
«Kazakh-Russian bilingualism is a variable or parallel use of native and Russian languages by the Kazakhs 
inside and interethnic communication in a multicultural society, the use of two languages in different situa-
tions if necessary. 
In 1996-1999, the works by E.D. Suleimenova «Kazakh and Russian languages: the basics of contras-
tive linguistics» and A.E. Karlinsky «International relations: theory – practice – search», and in 2001, «Bi-
lingualism and interethnic communication. Actual problems of intercultural communication and translation». 
«Dictionary of sociolinguistic terms» by E.D. Suleimenova and N.Zh. Shaimerdenova provides explanation 
and definition for more than 400 terms in the field of the theoretical issues, directions, methods and tech-
niques of social linguistics. In our opinion, this work has made an enormous contribution to the development 
of sociolinguistics. 
A. Abassilovin his publication «Development of Kazakh language on state status – the basic rules of the 
Law on languages in the Republic of Kazakhstan» praises the ways of implementation of the Law on lan-
guages, as well as in the article «Social-linguistic situation in northern area» analyzes the language situation 
of northern regions of Kazakhstan, the issues of bi and multilingualism, state and other ethnic languages 
function in society. The author proposes regional principles of language development «Development of state 
language on the regional level – effective way for Kazakhstan». 
To summarize, we would like to note that the language situation and language policy become a subject 
not only for linguistic studies. The state itself is interested in promoting this direction. For example, socio-
logical and research work of the linguistic situations of the country is annually held in this direction by the 
order of the Committee of languages of Ministry of Culture and Information, the results of which are pub-
lished in the following publications – «Language policy in Kazakhstan (results of sociological research)», 
«Language situation in the border regions of Kazakhstan and in the environment of returnees (oralmans) (the 
results of sociological research)», «Language situation in the border regions of Kazakhstan and in the regions 
compactly inhabited by ethnic groups (the results of sociological research)». 
It provides analysis and monitoring of the level of knowledge of state, native and Russian languages by 
ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan; the role of the state language in socio-communicative system of the Ka-
zakhstan society; public assessment of measures for implementation of the status of the state language; the 
nature and extent of the dominance of language functions in society; the level and nature of social prefer-
ences concerning the use of languages in different spheres; the nature of the socio-linguistic preferences of 
the adult population; the public perception of the state language in everyday language practice, the imple-
mentation of the constitutional rights of Kazakhstan citizens to use their native language, the implementation 
of free choice of language of communication, learning and creativity; the place of the language issue in the 
migration motivation of the population of Kazakhstan and other.
References 
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2 Сулейменова Э.Д. Словарь социолингвистических терминов / Э.Д. Сулейменова, Н.Ж. Шаймерденова, 
Ж.С. Смагулова, Д.X. Аканова; отв. ред. Э.Д. Сулейменова. — Алматы: Қазақ ун-ті, 2007. — 330 с. 

G.Yu. Аmanbayeva, Sh.N. Issabek 
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Вестник Карагандинского университета 
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Г.Ю. Аманбаева, Ш.Н. Исабек

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