Русский язык в Центральной Азии

Russian Language in Central Asia

This paper aims to provide information of language policies and implementations in the five independent republics of Central Asia. The five republics, which consist of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan underwent profound changes after their independence in 1991 in terms of the ethnic distribution due to increase of indigenous titular people and reduction of Russian speakers. There are still quite a number of Russian people in Kazakhstan and many Kazakh people speak Russian language. However, Russian-speaking group is considered to be minor in the rest of the four republics. Both of the Constitution and language laws (state language law) of the three republics except Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan acknowledge their titular language as a state language without mentioning Russian. On the other hand, Russian language became an official language or the second state language in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, but the governments of the republics encourage Russians to emigrate and try to reduce the use of Russian language. The official status of Russian language in Central Asia can be maintained by means of the efforts of Russians and Russian speakers and supports of Russian Federation.