THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE

Language is an immensely important factor for defining the identity of any nation. Language stays with the nation throughout all historical periods, sharing its fate and encountering its problems. Language also facilitates the preservation of the national identity and dignity, strengthening the faith in the future. This is the Azerbaijani language for the Azerbaijani people.

The state pays much attention to the perfection and preservation of our language traditions and the promotion of the Azerbaijani language. In 2002, we adopted a law on language and quite recently we published a revised version of the law. The presidential decree published on 9 April 2013 is one of the latest official language documents. It deals with the adoption of a "state programme for the use of the Azerbaijani language in conditions of globalization in compliance with the demands of the time and the development of the language learning in the country". The state programme envisages taking necessary measures towards the aim during the years 2013-2020.

Under the Soviet rule, language centres operated in two or three countries of the world. They carried out their main function, but for the Russian language. This is quite normal and all countries are doing this. The tradition was forgotten in the 1990s. In the 2000s, something was restored, but at the national level. It was at the time that various centres and Sunday schools were set up in a number of countries to promote the Azerbaijani language and culture. Currently, cultural-education centres for promoting the Azerbaijani language and centres at diaspora communities, where the Azerbaijani language and culture are taught and scientific-research work is carried out, are being opened in a number of countries.

Azerbaijani language studies…

The country's higher education institutions play an important role in promoting the Azerbaijani language and culture. At the initiative of the rector of the Baku Slavic University, the associate member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Prof. Kamal Abdullayev, and efforts by the Azerbaijani language studies cultural educational centre, Azerbaijani language and culture hubs were set up in a number of foreign countries. The Baku Slavic University has unified all these centres under the common name of Centres of the Azerbaijani Language and Culture. The centres aim at developing cultural relations, rekindling students' interest in science, education and culture, improving the educational process and developing the Azerbaijani language studies.

The vice president of the university, Prof. Asif Haciyev, said in an interview with R+ that such centres are being opened in Azerbaijan's friendly countries. They aim to familiarize foreign students with the rich and diverse culture of the Azerbaijani people. Most importantly, there is interest in learning the Azerbaijani language which is particularly relevant for a small country like Azerbaijan. It is important that these centres are being set up at an official level, Haciyev said.

The Baku Slavic University's centres are provided with modern equipment which facilitate the educational process and the organization of cultural and mass events. This brings together diverse information about modern Azerbaijan, its international political and economic relations, the development of tourism and culture of the country, as well as literature and arts. Library facilities at these centres feature numerous albums and books narrating about the history and culture of Azerbaijan, works by outstanding writers and poets, scientific publications, textbooks, dictionaries and reference books, as well as newspapers, etc.

Haciyev said that the Baku Slavic University runs four successful educational and cultural centres. "This September and October we expect to open two other centres. The Baku Slavic University has already signed official agreements with St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia and the B. Yeltsin Urals Federal University in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Both of these universities have allocated special rooms to accommodate the educational-cultural centres which are being repaired at the moment. Similar centres will soon be opened in Germany, the Czech Republic and Greece.

"These universities run special Azerbaijani language classes and Azerbaijani has been included in the list of obligatory and additional languages of study. Each of these centres increases the number of Azerbaijani language specialists," Haciyev said.

Azerbaijani language for free

People can learn French or Japanese free of charge in Baku. However, can anyone study Azerbaijani for free anywhere abroad? According to Elsad Miralami, head of the department of information, propaganda and analysis of the state committee for work with diasporas, it is now possible to learn Azerbaijani for free through Summer schools at diaspora centres. As well as language courses these schools run history, geography and culture of Azerbaijan courses.

"The state committee for work with the diaspora started work to promote the Azerbaijani language, culture, history and geography back in 2002. There were 32 Sunday schools at the time. According to the 2003 statistics, the number rose to 140 schools. The schools are financed by the State Committee and partially by diasporas themselves. Such schools operate in Russia, Ukraine, the USA, Germany, France, Sweden, etc. The virtual Sunday school project has continued the Sunday schools project. Through the assistance of the Institute of Information Technologies were published video courses and tutorials on the Azerbaijani language, history, geography, etc," Miralam said.

To join the distance learning course applicants need to register on the virtual-mekteb.az website after which a relevant programme will be downloaded on their computers. The course is designed for Azerbaijanis or foreign nationals who reside abroad and wish to learn the language.

Azerbaijani language in Azerbaijan

Why are there no such schools and courses in Azerbaijan itself? It would seem that a lot of people would want to join the course, given that the Azerbaijani language is strengthening its positions and knowledge of the language is obligatory for entering a university or getting a job. It is every Azerbaijani citizen's duty to know the language they live in. There are currently about 200,000 Russians and Ukrainians in Azerbaijan. They constitute just 2 per cent of the country's population. At the same time, Azerbaijan is one of the few former Soviet countries to have retained Russian as a language of instruction in schools and higher education institutions. Many of the country's newspapers are also published in Russian. Therefore, Russian speakers constitute a large part of the population.

Haciyev said that there is no necessity in such courses or centres in Azerbaijan itself. "The Azerbaijani language is all around us as it is. It is taught in schools and universities. Radio and television stations broadcast their programmes in Azerbaijani. There are no obstacles on the way of learning the language. All it takes to learn Azerbaijani is a desire to do so," he said.

Nevertheless, Azerbaijan needs a wide network of advanced learning Azerbaijani language courses, to encompass various aspects of the language, such as literature, business, science and technologies, law, medicine and so forth. It is necessary to prepare new modern textbooks and courses, video and audio materials and computer programmes aimed at facilitating the language learning. All these are so far poorly developed in Azerbaijan and need particular attention. It is necessary to create an efficient system of supporting the so-called Russian-speaking population so that they are not left alone with their problem. The Russian-speaking population, for their part, should not refrain from speaking Azerbaijani, to communicate more and to watch programmes and films in Azerbaijani.

On the other hand, the population is concerned about the way the media violates the standard Azerbaijani. Mistakes made by journalists cause legitimate indignation among the people. The level of the dubbing of films and cartoons also leaves much to be desired. In connection with this, in an effort to rectify the situation, parliament has decided to set up a hotline which will register language-related complaints from citizens.

It is clear that there is still a lot to be done to reinstate the national language status for Azerbaijani, not just in words but in deed. We need to start working towards this aim today because we have lost a lot of time as it is. We need to create such conditions that poor knowledge of the language is considered a disgrace. We need to treat the problem of the national language comprehensively.