Aynur Famil Pashayeva

THE ROLE OF THE ALPHABET IN THE FORMATION OF THE AZERBAIJANI LITERARY LANGUAGE

Abstract. This article explores the role of the alphabet in the formation of the Azerbaijani literary language. The study demonstrates that the Arabic script was phonetically and graphically inadequate for the Azerbaijani language, leading to orthographic instability, discrepancies between pronunciation and writing, and delays in the language normalization process from the medieval period to the 20th century. Based on historical sources and expert opinions, it is shown that the inconsistencies in spelling found in written monuments were associated both with individual approaches of scribes and their efforts toward standardization. The article also examines the reformist initiatives of Enlightenment-era intellectuals regarding the Arabic script and analyzes the socio-political dimensions of the transition to the Latin alphabet. The study concludes that changes in the writing system are not merely technical adjustments but also strategic factors in language development and the construction of national identity.

Keywords: Azerbaijan, literary language, alphabet, formation period, orthography, phonetic norm, language policy