On December 19, a ceremonial presentation of the first Kazakh-English and English-Kazakh Oxford Qazaq Dictionary, developed by the International Society “Kazak tili” on behalf of the President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, took place at NU. The event was graced by the presence of Acting President of NU (NU) Ilesanmi Adesida, Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, Parliament deputy Isa Kazybek Zharylkasynuly, British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kathy Leach and Rauan Kenzhekhanuly, President of the International Society “Kazak tili”.
Based on the Oxford Qazaq Dictionary, the Kazakh language will be included in the Oxford Global Languages platform, the most widespread and authoritative dictionary network in the world, opening the opportunity to join the global linguistic community.
“What will be the future of language in the digital age, and how can we preserve it? Now, we have a vision. Within the framework of the adopted seven-year concept of the ministry, one of the crucial directions is the preservation of the Kazakh language through its systematization in the digital world. Today, the guarantee of language preservation lies in creating a unified language corpus, systematically codified on digital and virtual platforms. This dictionary links the Kazakh language with the global language corpus, uniting the vocabulary of the 100 most important and basic languages worldwide,” stated Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek.
The Oxford Qazaq Dictionary captures contemporary shifts in the lexicons of both Kazakh and English languages, incorporating updates from modern culture, technology, medicine, economics, finance, and trade. Additionally, the dictionary provides concise guidelines on English and Kazakh grammar, pronunciation, and spelling. It also includes examples of business and electronic correspondence in Kazakh. In his welcoming address, NU Acting President Ilesanmi Adesida underscored the significance of hosting the presentation at NU.
“This dictionary transcends being a mere compilation of words; it stands as a cornerstone for preserving the Kazakh language and disseminating it worldwide. The symbolic significance of presenting this dictionary within the walls of NU, where the School of Sciences and Humanities houses the Department of Kazakh Language and Turkic Studies, cannot be overstated. Our strong Department, founders of the International Association of Teachers of the Kazakh Language, actively contributes to the development of practical Kazakh and research in language, literature, and culture.” noted doctor Ilesanmi Adesida.
Following official approval from the renowned publisher Oxford University Press, over 50 seasoned linguists dedicated four years to crafting the content of the dictionary in accordance with the methodology and technology of the Oxford English Dictionary. The inaugural edition of the Oxford Qazaq Dictionary encompasses over 60,000 words and spans 1,300 pages, with a print run of 10,000 copies.
“Oxford University Press positions itself as the world’s most trusted dictionary publisher. They adhere to very high standards in their work and make the same demands of their partners. That is why large-scale bilateral work was carried out. The fully prepared dictionary was sent for expert review, and Oxford University Press granted official permission to publish a bilingual dictionary developed based on the Oxford English Dictionary methodology and technology,” shared Rauan Kenzhekhanuly, the president of the “Kazak Tili” society.
NU Library has acquired 50 copies of the dictionary. Following the presentation ceremony, several experts were honored with the Ministry Award “Akhmet Baitursynuly” in recognition of their significant contributions to the development and promotion of the Kazakh language.
