Status of the Russian language in modern Tajikistan

Khalimzoda Ziyovidin Amirkhudzha Postgraduate student of the Department of Foreign Languages of the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 19 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia daler.halimov.95@mail.ru Other publications by this author

introduction

The topic "the status of the Russian language in modern Tajikistan" is relevant for several reasons.

First, Tajikistan is a multinational country where different languages interact and influence language policy and interethnic relations. Studying the status of the Russian language in the context of this multicultural environment allows us to understand how languages interact and how society treats languages of different groups.

Secondly, the status of the Russian language in Tajikistan has a historical and cultural context related to the previous existence of the Soviet Union and Soviet heritage. Studying the changes in the status of the Russian language after the collapse of the USSR allows us to understand how these changes affect modern society and language preferences.

Third, Russian is still a significant language in the field of education, mass media and business communications in Tajikistan. Studying the status of the Russian language helps to understand how it affects access to education and information in various spheres of life.

Finally, the change in the status of the Russian language reflects broader issues related to language policy, national identity, and social integration in multinational societies. Studying these issues in the context of Tajikistan can be useful for understanding similar processes that are taking place in other regions of the world.

Thus, the topic "the status of the Russian language in modern Tajikistan" remains relevant and is important for the study of language policy, interethnic relations and cultural diversity in Tajikistan and beyond.

Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian remains an international language and one of the six languages of the United Nations. The language of Lermontov and Pushkin is spoken and expressed by more than 350 million inhabitants of the planet who live in different parts of the globe, including Tajikistan. In the Republic, Russian is the language of interethnic communication. His special status is enshrined even in the second article of the country's constitution. President of the Republic Emomali Rahmon often speaks about the importance of supporting and learning the Russian language during his public speeches.

However, in the light of political and socio-cultural changes, the status of the Russian language may change.

Russian Russian The purpose of this article is to explore the current status of the Russian language in Tajikistan, to consider its use in education and mass communications, as well as to analyze the sociolinguistic aspects of the use of the Russian language.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The materials and research methods for analyzing the status of the Russian language in modern Tajikistan included the following components:

Literature analysis: A systematic review of scientific research, statistical data, legislation and other publications related to the Russian language in Tajikistan. This included academic articles, books, government documents, reports, and other written sources.

For the study, scientific papers, statistical data were analyzed and interviews were conducted with native Russian speakers in Tajikistan. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used.

THE RESULTS AND THEIR DISCUSSION

The problem of the development of the Tajik language as the state language and Russian as the language of interethnic communication is one of the priority directions of the policy of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, which is enshrined in the Constitution of the country and the law on the state language. The country's language policy is implemented in specific events of social importance and in the education system (the new version of the Law on Education was adopted in 2004) ^[2].

Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, noted that "the Russian language has been and remains for us a window into science, a means of communication with the outside world, and the loss of this capital will harm us" (Usmonov, 2012, p. 5).

The use of different languages in Tajikistan has specific features that reflect the political, socio-historical processes of the 20th and 21st centuries. According to the 1989 "Language Law", Tajik is the official language, and Russian is necessary for full-fledged interethnic communication. The same is stated in the 1991 Language Law. "In 2009, the Majlisi Oli (Parliament of Tajikistan, the highest legislative and representative apparatus of the national government) issued a decree stating that only the state language (Tajik) is acceptable for communication with government authorities" (Zatulin, 2012, p. 205). Thus, it became equal in rights with other languages in the country, and in the spring of 2010 a decree was issued abolishing the mandatory publication of legislative acts or other regulatory documents in Russian (Sultanov, 2013). However, in 2011, the adoption of an additional bill returned the Russian language to its former positions. Currently, Tajik is the official language, but the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan of 1994 (article 2) recognizes Russian as a means of interethnic communication and allows its use in some cases for the registration of official documents.

"In 2003, the President of Tajikistan signed a decree on the mandatory introduction of study hours for learning Russian and English in all secondary schools in the country" (Kudoyarova, 2010, p. 36). However, the shortage of teachers in remote areas and the lack of practical use of a foreign language make it difficult to implement this decree. If a student hears foreign words and expressions only in class, but communicates at home and with peers in his native language, he loses the ability to memorize new words and does not consolidate grammatical rules. Tajikistan has another notable feature: residents use Tajik or Uzbek in their daily home life, but they try to send their children to Russian-language schools.

During the crisis period of the 1990s, when 70% of the Russian-speaking population left Tajikistan, the contradictory processes of de-russification in the education system, office management and the industrial sector led to a marked decline and lag in the scientific and industrial sectors of the economy. "After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian language existed for a long time without any support in the post-Soviet space, which caused signs of irreversible destruction of the language in a number of newly independent states" (Karabalina et al., 2018, p. 119). The beginning of the new century was marked by the gradual restoration of the Russian-speaking sphere of distribution. This is due to factors such as migration processes, socio-economic ties, and public sentiment in Tajikistan, where many nationalities live (Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Turkmens, and Russians).

Russian Russian language teaching, methods and content of Russian language classes, and the content of Russian language school curricula at the federal and regional levels are particularly relevant in Tajikistan today. In addition, it is interesting to study the functioning of Russian speech in various areas of public communication.

Russian Russian is a language that is widely used in the Russian language. If we turn to the practical aspects of the Russian language, we can identify the following areas: government agencies publish documents in Tajik, Russian and Uzbek; various institutions and organizations, enterprises of any form of ownership conduct office work and correspondence in any language, depending on the national composition, so you can choose Tajik, Uzbek or Russian. A citizen can choose Russian as the language of registration of forms of documents issued by government agencies, post offices or other official organizations.

Thus, the government authorities of Tajikistan fully ensure the right of citizens to choose a language for communication, education and office work. This is due to the traditional way of life, when many peoples have to coexist with each other.

However, the trend towards a reduction in the Russian-speaking environment persists, which depends on the following socio-economic factors: the extinction of the former "Soviet" generation and the relocation of many young people of working age to other regions.

Russian Russian schools As of 2022, there were 26 Russian schools in Tajikistan, 6 of which are located in the capital, Dushanbe, and 132 schools teach in mixed languages, including Russian. About 45,000 students study in Russian, which is 2.5% of the total number of students. These figures amount to 35,000 students.

Most importantly, the Russian language retains equal positions in the field of scientific representation, which contributes to productive communication between scientists from different countries.

Since 2005, all PhD and doctoral dissertations have been duplicated in Russian. In the academic environment, the Russian language is of fundamental importance, since the scientific work of Tajik scientists can pass through the All-Russian Higher Attestation Commission (HAC). The scientific opinion received from the Higher Attestation Commission of Russia is an expert one and significantly increases the scientific status of the dissertation or article. Since 2017, Tajik scientists have received academic titles and degrees from the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation and the Higher Attestation Commission of Tajikistan. The local Higher Attestation Commission, established in 2011, accepts works only in Russian or English by order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Tajikistan in 2017.

In this context, the Russian-Tajik (Slavic) University (RTSU) is a notable phenomenon in combination with the Russian-Tajik School, which has been operating since 2008 and provides general education (9 years) or complete (11 years) secondary education. This educational institution has Russian educational standards, which means that any university in Russia takes into account the learning outcomes. In addition, universities with Russian-language teaching have been opened in the country, such as a branch of the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys and a branch of Moscow State University. Many other higher education institutions have departments where teaching is conducted in Russian.

Unfortunately, the shortage of Russian language teachers in general education schools does not ensure the effective implementation of the program to expand the Russian-speaking environment. "The teacher is one of the main sources of knowledge, the role of a foreign language teacher is much more important in the process of learning a language" (Pechenkina and Vepreva, 2020, p. 181). This is due to low wages and the depopulation of the Russian-speaking population over the past 25-30 years. In addition, many schools, especially in remote areas, lack Russian language teaching materials.

The fact that there has been a certain convergence of political positions between the leaders of Russia and Tajikistan is a little encouraging. In this regard, the Government of the Russian Federation plans to build several Russian-language schools in the Republic of Tajikistan at the expense of the federal budget, including five educational institutions, the number of which is expected to increase in the future. An important factor that significantly increases interest in learning Russian is the education of Tajik students in Russian universities. Russian education is the key to stable employment and a dynamic career, which is extremely important in the context of a protracted economic crisis. Following the recent speeches of the Russian president, we can recall such promises as accelerated acquisition of citizenship by foreign specialists who will be officially employed in Russia.

The Russian Government (Rossotrudnichestvo) quotas the number of foreign students in Russian universities at the expense of budgetary funds. As we can see, the number of quotas for Tajik students is gradually increasing: in 2018, 618 quotas were allocated, and in 2019-2020 - more than 630.

Russian Russian influence is widespread in the publishing business and the mass media, about 50 periodicals are published in Russian, 2 Russian-language TV channels and 2 Russian-language radio stations operate. Many newspapers and news websites duplicate information in Russian and English.

There are many news and analytical materials in Russian: about national and international politics, business and economics, culture, and various events (Usmonov, 2014).

Russian Russian is taught in Tajik schools According to the government program, the goals and objectives of Russian language teaching include the following: students should acquire sufficient knowledge and skills of Russian in standard life situations, in social, economic and other areas of communication, as well as familiarize themselves with Russian culture and the world's creative heritage (Kudoyarova, 2010). Of course, this requires knowledge and understanding of vocabulary, grammar, written and oral forms of speech.

Russian Russian is actually a foreign language in the education system, because, firstly, the number of school hours has been reduced, Russian literature is not taught in schools (as it was in Soviet times), and secondly, there is practically no Russian-speaking environment, especially in rural areas. A particular difficulty arises from the fact that classes are not divided into subgroups, as required, and the teacher works in a class with 35 children or more (Huseynova, 2015).

Russian Russian is taught in addition to traditional Russian language lessons, Tajik general education schools use literary-based Russian language teaching methods. Russian Russian language teaching is based on the principle of integration based on texts from Russian literature. Teachers themselves determine the amount of material on literature, since this aspect is not specified in the program. "An integrated approach provides a multidimensional understanding of the reality and role of a foreign language as an element of culture, motivates students to master the language and form a humanistic worldview" (Atnabayeva, 2015, p. 135). Teaching various genres of Russian literature helps to learn and understand the beauty of the language, to see the practical application of speech, to master certain language skills, to remember the rules that students learned in the classroom. She teaches how to apply the Russian language in practical situations, how to understand and express your opinion.

Russian Russian Language Day is held every week on Tuesdays in secondary schools, during which students and teachers communicate only in Russian. More than 200,000 students of secondary and higher educational institutions study Russian as a compulsory subject in accordance with their acquired profession.

Russian Russian universities in Tajikistan have separate faculties for the training of philologists, teachers of Russian language and literature, and Russian-Tajik translators. The Russian Russian language is also being strengthened through joint cultural, educational, scientific, methodological and other projects (concerts, festivals, days of Russian culture, festivals of Russian literature, field seminars and lectures). In 2007, Tajikistan declared the Year of the Russian Language based on a bilateral intergovernmental agreement. On June 6, Pushkin's birthday, Tajikistan celebrates Russian Language Day as one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations.

In 2017, a project to support the teaching of the Russian language, supervised by the Federation Council, was successfully implemented. Russian Russian teachers traveled to Tajikistan in 2017 to teach Russian, as well as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, and in 2018 there were 50 of them. In 2019, another training mission arrived, which was distributed across the regions of the republic. The Government of Tajikistan provides housing for teachers, pays the national average, and the Russian government provides incentive additional payments.

Cooperation in the field of higher education between Moscow and Dushanbe is also developing: 20,000 Tajik students study in Russia and another 8,000 at Russian universities or their branches in Tajikistan.

Russia is a strategically important partner of Tajikistan in international relations, politics and economics, science and culture. The presence of migrant workers in Russia and the constant influx of foreign currency from them make it possible to maintain stable, long-term relations between the countries. "The issue of migration not only remains on the agenda, but is also becoming more urgent... We must understand that teaching Russian, like any other language in this situation, has a positive effect" (Shaklein, 2014, p. 59). The Russian language plays a huge role in strengthening interethnic relations in Tajikistan and beyond.

Russians Russian language support system in Tajikistan, through the creation of various public organizations that bring together Russian teachers and Russian-speaking specialists in various fields of activity, contributes to the expansion of cooperation between universities, schools and other educational institutions in Russia and Tajikistan.

Russians Russian Embassy and the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo are taking significant steps to support the Russian language among Tajik citizens for whom Russian is their mother tongue or the language of interethnic communication, as a basis for preserving and developing their cultural and professional ties with their homeland.

conclusion

Learning Russian in Tajikistan continues to play a crucial role. Russian Russian is used in most professional fields, but the level of Russian language proficiency in the Republic is decreasing.

As in the days of the Soviet Union, the Russian language remains in the minds of residents as a tool that provides a career perspective. The migration of Tajik youth to the Russian Federation confirms the importance of knowledge of the Russian language for people who intend to live, work and study in Russia.

The development of the Russian language in the Republic of Tatarstan can be facilitated by such events as:

- increase in Russian language teaching hours in Tajik-speaking schools;

- improving the training of Russian language teachers;

- ensuring the employment of Russian-speaking students in Tajikistan.

Today, the Russian language in Tajikistan is developing dynamically, it is quite firmly rooted in urban environments, and the demand for Russian-language education is high. However, the importance of the Russian language is inferior to the Soviet period. Russian remains the language of interethnic communication in Tajikistan and is used mainly in areas where it has acquired scientific and practical significance.

Thus, the legal status of the Russian language is defined in the basic law of the Republic of Tajikistan as follows: the language of interethnic communication. At the same time, we note the dependence of the dynamics of the status of the Russian language on the will of the leadership of the Republic of Tajikistan, which is fixed in the current legislation.In June 2011, the Republic of Tajikistan adopted a bill that confirmed the constitutional status of Russian as the "language of interethnic communication."

Despite the partial loss of positions in the country, the Russian language remains in high demand, and there are the following objective reasons for improving its position: the preservation of the vast majority of the Tajik intelligentsia, including government officials, striving to preserve the cultural and information space common with Russia; the preservation of Tajikistan's status for a long period of time. "labor exporting countries"; implementation of practical measures aimed at expanding Russian–Tajik economic cooperation in the development of hydroelectric power resources, as well as in other areas; active participation of Tajikistan in integration processes in the post-Soviet space.

Russian russians should like to conclude with the wonderful words spoken by the outstanding Russian writer K.G. Paustovsky: "The Russian language opens up to the end in its truly magical properties and richness only to those who deeply love and know their people "to the bone" and feel the innermost charm of our land"; "Some Russian words themselves radiate poetry, like the way precious stones radiate a mysterious luster." These amazing, soulful lines contain the key to solving the high demand for the Russian language all over the world.