Uzbekistan's New Language Policy and the Evolution of the National Language Strategy in a Global Perspective

On the eve of Uzbek Language Day, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the "Decree on Additional Measures for the Further Development of the State Language," marking the beginning of a systematic and in-depth phase in the country's language policy. The decree covers multiple dimensions, including the restructuring of government agencies, education system reform, information technology integration, and international promotion. It plans to establish a language advisor position within the administrative system starting January 1, 2026, and to enhance the breadth and standardization of Uzbek language usage through textbook development, digital learning modules, and the establishment of overseas language centers. This series of actions provides a classic case study for observing the interaction between the construction of national subjectivity and language policy in the era of globalization.

I. Historical Context and Policy Evolution

As a branch of the Turkic language family, the modern standardization process of Uzbek is closely intertwined with political changes in Central Asia. The bilingual policy implemented during the Soviet era (Russian as the main language in administration and education, and the national language as a cultural symbol) limited the use of Uzbek in fields such as science and technology and the bureaucracy. After Uzbekistan's independence in 1991, the State Language Law (1992) established Uzbek as the national language, but Russian still maintains substantial influence in areas such as business and research. Mirziyoyev implemented reforms upon coming to power in 2016. This decree is an extension of his "New Uzbekistan" strategy, aiming to strengthen the language's national symbolic function and social integration through institutional arrangements.

The policy adjustments are related to demographic changes. Uzbekistan has a population of 36 million, 80% of whom speak Uzbek as their mother tongue. However, Uzbekistan has ethnic minorities such as Tajiks and Karakalpaks, and approximately 5 million Uzbeks are scattered abroad in countries such as Russia and Turkey. The decree's provisions regarding the development of teaching materials for "family language schools" and the establishment of language centers for expatriates reflect the government's commitment to balancing the promotion of the dominant ethnic language with the protection of ethnic minority rights and strengthening cross-border cultural connections.

II. Analysis of a Systematic Framework for Language Governance

The new decree establishes a multi-tiered implementation mechanism:

1. Administrative Integration: "Advisors on Spiritual Affairs and the National Language" are appointed from central to local agencies to integrate language planning with ideological development. These positions are similar to the "Directorate General for French Language" in the French Ministry of Culture and the "Language Development Committee" in Kazakhstan, coordinating policy implementation through dedicated positions.

2. Comprehensive Coverage of the Education Cycle: From preschool picture dictionaries to updated university textbooks, this policy embodies a strategy of early intervention and continuous reinforcement. "Schools teaching in the family language" specifically refers to institutions teaching minority languages ​​such as Tajik and Kazakh. The new policy requires them to add Uzbek language courses, similar to Turkey's "integrated curriculum" model for Turkish language education in Kurdish areas.

3. Technological Empowerment: The AI ​​language learning module developed by the Youth Affairs Agency aligns with the global trend of digital language dissemination. Similar examples include the AI ​​Korean teacher at King Sejong Institute in South Korea and the British Council's English learning app. Technological tools can reduce learning costs and expand access.

III. Language Competition and Choice in the Era of Globalization

Uzbekistan's language strategy is situated within a dual context: on the one hand, the continued regional influence of Russian (Russian is the working language of the Eurasian Economic Union), and on the other, the rapid penetration of English, leveraging its technological and commercial advantages. World Bank data shows that Uzbekistan's remittances primarily come from Russia (US$6.4 billion in 2023, representing 12% of GDP). Strengthening the status of the national language will help mitigate cultural barriers for migrant workers. Furthermore, the government's implementation of English language education reforms (including compulsory English instruction in elementary schools in 2021) reflects its pursuit of a balance between maintaining national identity and integrating into globalization.

This type of "multilingual layering" strategy is practiced in many countries: Kazakhstan implements a "three-language policy" (Kazakh as the national language, Russian as the language of interethnic communication, and English as the language of internationalization); the UAE strengthens Arabic while making English a supplementary administrative language. Uzbekistan's new policy focuses on enhancing the status of the national language without eliminating Russian's official status, reflecting a pragmatic approach.

IV. The Tension Between Linguistic Purity and Modernity

The "Maintaining Linguistic Purity" clause in the decree addresses issues such as terminology standardization and the regulation of loanwords. Uzbek vocabulary contains approximately 15% Russian loanwords (such as "трактор") and a recent surge in English technical terms (such as "интернет"). Linguists worry that excessive borrowing may lead to fragmented expression. The new policy plans to address this through measures such as the codification of terminology by the Academy of Sciences and the standardization of media terminology. This echoes the efforts of the Icelandic Language Protection Agency to resist "digital colonization" and the French Academy to standardize French technical terminology.

However, the pursuit of purity may face challenges from modernity: 90% of core concepts in information technology lack native Uzbek vocabulary, and newly coined terms (such as "bulutli hisoblash" for "cloud computing") require a period of social acceptance. Historical experience shows that the transformation of Chinese characters during the Meiji period in Japan and the revival of modern Hebrew both achieved functional expansion through the flexible integration of foreign elements. How Uzbek can balance purity and practicality warrants attention.

V. The Geocultural Implications of Language Internationalization

The decree proposes "enhancing the international status of the Uzbek language." Specific measures include offering courses for foreign students in China and establishing learning centers at diaspora institutions. This move is intended to foster cultural diplomacy and soft power: Uzbek is currently spoken by approximately 40 million people worldwide, primarily in neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan. By promoting the language, regional cultural influence can be enhanced, emulating the models of Turkey promoting Turkish through the Turkic Language Council and Saudi Arabia promoting Arabic through the Islamic world.

However, the effectiveness of a language's international reach is constrained by multiple factors: global languages ​​like English and French rely on colonial histories and economic scale to create network effects; Chinese leverages the scale of the Chinese market to expand. Uzbek language promotion must address limited resources and may adopt a differentiated strategy—prioritizing outreach to the Central Asian diaspora and attracting regional researchers, rather than pursuing widespread dissemination.

VI. Challenges and Sustainability Assessment

The implementation of the new policy faces three challenges:

- Resource Allocation: Textbook development and AI system construction require fiscal support, and Uzbekistan's education spending as a percentage of GDP (5.2% in 2023) is below the UN-recommended 7%.

- Social Acceptance: Metropolitan elites' dependence on Russian/English may hinder policy implementation, and compliance needs to be strengthened through incentive mechanisms (such as linking civil servant language proficiency to promotion).

- Technological Adaptability: Uzbek is an agglutinative language, and its grammatical complexity and the mixed use of Arabic, Cyrillic, and Latin alphabets (the current Latin alphabet was revised in 2019) complicate digitization.

Long-term effectiveness depends on policy consistency. Since independence, Uzbekistan has undergone three script reforms (from Arabic to Cyrillic to Latin). These alphabet changes have resulted in discontinuities in literature and increased cultural heritage costs. If the current standardization based on the Latin alphabet can be deeply integrated with information technology, it could enhance the vitality of the language.

Conclusion

Uzbekistan's new language policy is an institutionalized expression of the construction of national subjectivity in the context of globalization. Its hallmarks lie in its systematic deployment (a three-pronged approach of administration, education, and technology) and its openness (a balance of linguistic rights and interests of ethnic minorities within the country and connections with overseas Chinese). From a broader perspective, the survival and development of smaller languages ​​in the digital age involves a complex game: Irish, through its EU status, has access to resources but has yet to prevent a decline in usage, while Dutch, with its niche advantages, maintains its vitality. The future of Uzbek depends not only on the scientific nature and implementation of its internal policies, but also on external factors such as the degree of regional integration and the direction of technological change. Its practice will provide an important observational sample for the study of language ecology in a multi polar world.