On the scientific basis of our alphabet and spelling

The outstanding folklorist, linguist, Turkologist, teacher and writer Naki Isanbet was most concerned about the fate of our language, national culture and literature, about our Tatar people’s existence in the future world along with many other nationalities on Earth. The famous scientist believed that people, who do not have their own national language, education, who do not know their native language, have ceased to be people in this world, as they are the most unhappy, uncultured and uneducated of all. Isanbet began his multifaceted activity in Bashkortostan with writing an alphabet textbook for Tatar and Bashkortostan schools using the name “Yash Buyn” (“Young Generation”). Together with Dauyt Yultyi, the methodologist published a volumetric textbook on literature for secondary schools. Naki Isanbet was a scientist who actively participated in discussions concerning the Latin script. At first, he belonged to the “Latinists”, later to the “Arabists.” The project of the New Tatar spelling was set up by Kh. Kurbatov in 1955. It was presented to the general public in 1958. Naki Isanbet published his thoughts regarding this project in the newspaper “Sovet Tatarstany” (The Soviet Tatarstan). In the first volume of “Tatar Grammar”, published in 1995, 2015, this article is not mentioned. His serious work was written in the form of a program; although underestimated, it has not lost its relevance to this day. In 1958, the Government Commission did not think the project of new spelling was ready for implementation due to its shortcomings. This decision was also influenced by the position of Naki Isanbet. Scholars recognize that in modem Tatar spelling there are a number of problems and contradictions as far as the correct writing of certain groups of Tatar words goes. We have decided to reproduce this article by Naki Isanbet, hoping that the opinion of the influential scholar in this matter will be useful today.