The history of the formation and development of the Uzbek literary language

Shirin Mahmatqulova

By: Shirin Mahmatqulova

Language is one of the greatest spiritual treasures of a nation. It reflects the history, worldview, culture, traditions, and values of a people. The Uzbek language is a priceless heritage that embodies the centuries-old history and intellectual development of the Uzbek people. The Uzbek literary language used today was not formed suddenly. It developed over many centuries through the contributions of scholars, writers, poets, and the rich oral and written heritage of the people.The roots of the Uzbek literary language go back to the ancient Turkic languages. The Orkhon-Yenisey inscriptions are among the oldest written monuments of the Turkic peoples. They contain ideas about the homeland, statehood, unity, courage, and human values. These monuments demonstrate the ancient written and cultural traditions of the Turkic peoples.

An important stage in the development of Turkic written language was the Karakhanid period. In the 11th–12th centuries, major literary and scholarly works were created in Turkic. Mahmud al-Kashgari’s Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk (Compendium of the Turkic Languages) is one of the most valuable sources for studying the history of Turkic languages. The work contains information about language, customs, geography, and oral literature, as well as numerous proverbs and poetic examples.

Yusuf Khass Hajib’s Kutadgu Bilig (Wisdom of Royal Glory) is another important monument of this period. It discusses justice, knowledge, wisdom, morality, and state administration. Ahmad Yugnaki’s Hibat al-Haqa’iq (Gifts of Truth) also contributed to the development of Turkic literary language. These works prove that Turkic had already developed into a language capable of expressing complex intellectual and artistic ideas.

The 14th–15th centuries occupy a special place in the history of the Uzbek literary language. During this period, the Turkic literary language became highly influential in Transoxiana and Khorasan. This tradition later became known as the Chagatai or Old Uzbek literary language.

The development of this literary language is closely connected with the name of Alisher Navoi. Through his works, Navoi demonstrated the richness and artistic possibilities of the Turkic language. His Khamsa, Khazoyin ul-Maoniy, Lison ut-Tayr, Mahbub ul-Qulub, and Muhokamat ul-Lughatayn occupy an important place in Uzbek literary history.

In Muhokamat ul-Lughatayn (The Comparison of Two Languages), Navoi compared Turkic and Persian and demonstrated the expressive richness of Turkic. He considered language not merely a means of communication but also an important instrument of thought and artistic creativity. His contribution raised the Turkic literary language to a high artistic level and created a strong foundation for its further development.

After Navoi, the Uzbek literary language continued to develop. In the 16th century, Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur made an important contribution to Uzbek prose through his famous work Baburnama. The work describes historical events, cities, nature, people, and personal observations in a clear and expressive language.

In later centuries, writers and poets such as Turdi Faroghi, Mashrab, Sufi Allah Yar, Gulkhani, Munis, Ogahi, Nodira, Uvaysi, Muqimi, Furqat, and Zavqi enriched the literary language. Their works reflected the social life, spiritual world, hopes, and concerns of the people. The literary language gradually became closer to everyday speech and more expressive.

The beginning of the 20th century brought a new stage in the development of the Uzbek literary language. Jadid intellectuals considered language an important means of education, enlightenment, and national awakening. Mahmudkhoja Behbudi, Abdulla Avloni, Abdurauf Fitrat, Cho‘lpon, and Abdulla Qodiriy made major contributions to language and literature.

Abdulla Qodiriy’s O‘tkan Kunlar (Bygone Days) and Mehrobdan Chayon (Scorpion from the Altar) played an important role in the development of Uzbek prose. Cho‘lpon’s poetry and prose further demonstrated the artistic possibilities of the Uzbek language. During this period, language became an important means of strengthening national consciousness and expressing social and cultural ideas.

The modern development of the Uzbek language is closely connected with the period of independence. On October 21, 1989, the Law “On the State Language” was adopted, which was an important historical step in strengthening the legal status of Uzbek. After independence, the position of Uzbek as the state language became even stronger.

Today, Uzbek is widely used in education, science, literature, mass media, public administration, and other fields. At the same time, globalization, the Internet, social networks, and foreign languages influence modern speech. The appearance of new and borrowed words is a natural linguistic process, but preserving literary language standards and using words correctly remain important responsibilities.

The future of the Uzbek language depends not only on scholars and writers but also on every person who speaks and writes it. Young people have a particularly important role because their speech influences the language of future generations. Reading books, studying classical literature, and learning from the works of our great ancestors help preserve and enrich our language.

Conclusion

The Uzbek literary language is a great spiritual heritage formed through thousands of years of historical development. Ancient Turkic monuments, the Karakhanid literary tradition, the Chagatai period, Alisher Navoi, Babur, classical poets, Jadid intellectuals, and modern writers have all contributed to its development.

The Uzbek language is more than a means of communication. It is the memory of our nation, reflecting its history, thought, culture, and spiritual values. Therefore, respecting the literary norms of our language, using it correctly, enriching it, and passing it on to future generations are the responsibilities of all of us.

If the language lives, the nation’s memory, thought, and spirituality will live as well.

Shirin Mahmatqulova

2nd-year student of Uzbek Language and Literature

Faculty of Philology, Alfraganus University.

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