KAZAKH ORTHOGRAPHY: A STUDY ON THE NORMATIVE FORMS OF “KYRKUIEK/KYRGUIEK”

This study examines the orthographic variation of the Kazakh word Kyrkuiek/Kyrguiek (“September”), a subject of ongoing public debate regarding its correct spelling. The issue is significant for maintaining orthographic consistency and preserving cultural identity within the Kazakh language. The aim of the research is to determine the normative spelling of the term through an analysis of orthographic dictionaries published between 1941 and 2013, and a sociolinguistic survey involving 367 participants from 17 regions of Kazakhstan, as well as from Turkey and Russia. The study also explores the historical and etymological development of the word and reviews its representation in explanatory dictionaries and online linguistic resources such as soztekser.kz and qazcorpus.kz. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining historical-linguistic analysis with quantitative and qualitative survey methods. The survey assessed participants’ reliance on orthographic dictionaries, attitudes toward Kazakh spelling norms, and preferences between the variants Kyrkuiek and Kyrguiek. The findings indicate a strong preference for the Kyrkuiek spelling, despite inconsistencies in official sources over time. The article advocates for the standardization of Kyrkuiek as the correct form and recommends including phonetic transcriptions in dictionaries to reconcile pronunciation with orthography. This research contributes to addressing orthographic ambiguity in the Kazakh language and offers practical recommendations relevant to language policy, education, and public linguistic awareness.