The Impact of Script Reform on Names across Cultures. Lessons for Kazakhstan’s 2031 Latinization
The Impact of Script Reform on Names across Cultures. Lessons for Kazakhstan’s 2031 Latinization

Summary/Abstract: This article explores the Cyrillic-to-Latin script reform in Kazakhstan through a comparative analysis of similar reforms in Turkic, Slavic, and Romance-speaking countries. With a focus on the treatment of proper names – anthroponyms and toponyms – it examines the political, phonological, technological, and cultural implications of script transition. Drawing on case studies from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Romania, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the article demonstrates that alphabet reform is not merely a technical shift but a sociolinguistic process embedded in identity politics and institutional practice. Special emphasis is placed on issues such as phoneme–grapheme correspondence, name standardisation, dual-script coexistence, digital infrastructure, and public reception. The analysis culminates in a set of actionable lessons for Kazakhstan’s ongoing Latinisation reform, advocating for a balanced approach that integrates historical continuity, digital usability, and inclusive linguistic policy.

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