Arai Yukiyasu 荒井幸康
Kalmyk Language Reform, 1998–2001
— cause and aftermath —
67th Annual Meeting of the PIAC, Gotemba 2025
This presentation discusses the language policy of the Kalmyk language after the fall of the Soviet Union, giving special attention to the language reforms from 1998 to 2001, when they made spelling reform which only last for three years.
The Kalmyks have suffered a gradual decline in language proficiency among speakers since the restoration of the autonomous republic in 1957. However, in the mid-1980s, soon after the beginning of perestroika, many minorities had attempts to revitalize their languages, as many of those languages have taken their functions or domains to Russian.
Kalmyk language was one of them. Many Kalmyk intellectuals including linguists are gathered to discuss the way to revitalize their language. Many of linguists criticized the Kalmyk orthographic system then, since it was too difficult for Kalmyk pupils, who are almost learning it like foreign language. After the generation who experienced deportation of the whole Kalmyk nation in 1943-1957, language is not being passed on normally from one generation to the next.
In 1969, a young scholar stood up for reform but failed. Until 1996, when Dordzhi Pavlov, the author of the orthography in 1932, died, all the projects of orthographic reform or criticism on it was suppressed.
But gradually people started arguing about the spelling and in May 1998, a decree of Kalmyk president, Kirsan Illyumdzinov, entitled “Measures for the Further Revival and Development of the Kalmyk Language” was published. And this is how orthographic reform has begun.
The presentation is about its beginning and aftermath, many people longed this reform but why it ended in such a short period of time.