Uzbekistan signs law to refine Uzbek alphabet — what will change?
The introduction of the new alphabet will be phased, while existing documents, the national currency, and securities will remain valid.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law on the development of the Uzbek alphabet in Latin script. The Head of the Presidential Administration, Saida Mirziyoyeva, stated that the decision will end years of debate and strengthen the role of the Uzbek language in the digital environment.
The new system includes 28 letters and an apostrophe. Individual symbols will replace the combinations O‘, G‘, Sh, and Ch; Ng will be removed from the alphabet, but its pronunciation rules will be retained in orthography.
Saida Mirziyoyeva proposed the alphabet change on 11 December 2023 at a conference dedicated to the legacy of the Jadids. She acknowledged that the reform might raise concerns but deemed it necessary to correct deficiencies in the writing system. Documents, the national currency, and securities will not be changed immediately; textbooks, signs, and signage will be replaced gradually.
