First Oxford Qazaq Dictionary presented at Nazarbayev University
The publication of the dictionary will enable the Kazakh language to enter the Oxford Global Languages platform, the world’s most authoritative dictionary network. The dictionary was compiled by the Qazaq Tili International Community at the instruction of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazinform News Agency reports via the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
Acting President of Nazarbayev University Ilesanmi Adesida, Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek, Majilis Deputy Issa Kazybek Zharylkassynuly, British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kathy Leach, and President of Qazaq Tili International Community Rauan Kenzhekhanuly attended the presentation.
What will be the future of language in the era of digital technologies and how can we preserve the language? As part of the seven-year concept approved by the Ministry, one of important areas is to preserve the language through its systematization in the digital world, since the preservation of the language lies in creation of a unified language corpus, systematically codified on digital and virtual platforms. This dictionary is the contribution to the entry of the Kazakh language to the global language corpus, which unites the vocabulary of 100 most important and basic languages of the world, Sayasat Nurbek said.
Following official approval from the Oxford University Press and developed in accordance with the methodology and technology of Oxford English Dictionary, more than 50 linguists from the Akhmet Baiturssynuly Linguistics Institute were attracted to the compilation of the dictionary. The first edition contains over 60,000 words and spans 1,300 pages, with a circulation of 10,000 copies.
Oxford University Press positions itself as the world's most reliable dictionary publisher. They adhere to very high standards in their work and set the same demands to their partners. A large-scale bilateral work has been carried out. We sent the dictionary for an expert review. Oxford University Press gave its official permission to publish the bilingual dictionary, which was developed with the consideration of the methodology and technology of Oxford English dictionary, Rauan Kenzhekhanuly said.
The dictionary unveils the peculiarities of contemporary vocabulary of the Kazakh and English languages, including trends from modern culture, IT, medicine, economics, finance, and trade. It also contains short guidelines on English and Kazakh grammar, pronunciation, and spelling, as well as examples of business and electronic correspondence in Kazakh.
