The Azerbaijani language is the spiritual wealth of our nation, unbreakable principle of the solidarity of world Azerbaijanis and one of the main symbols of the State independence. Great works that are reckoned among the treasury of world literature have been created in this language.

At various times of the history every Azerbaijani feels great pride in the use of Azerbaijani as the state language. In spite of the fact that Azerbaijan from time to time was forced to live under the rule of various empires, even on those days our native language was able to properly secure the existence and development of the national ideology, national consciousness and national-cultural values. And nowadays, to protect and take care of the native language is the sacred duty of every citizen in Azerbaijan.  

Our native language is characterized by its rich expression; smooth sound and invariable grammar structure. Modern Azerbaijani literary language has a wide scope in political, social, scientific and cultural fields, high writing culture through enriching its vocabulary all the time. It has reached this level due to the activities of outstanding poets, novelists, as well as intellectuals. Azerbaijani Linguistics has made a great contribution to the common cause. 

The formation of modern media, theatre and educational system in Azerbaijan, changes in political-social and cultural lives of the nation did identify the development course of Azerbaijani Linguistics. New educational manuals, dictionaries and monumental scientific researches came out in the native language.

Outstanding intellectuals, such as Mirza-Kazimbey, Mirza-Fatali Akhundzade, Rashid bey Efendiyev, Sultan Majid Ganizade, Mohammad agha Shahtakhtli, Nariman Narimanov, Uzeyir Hajibeyli deserved well of this field.

Starting from the first decade of last century researches on the native language were in the focus of attention. Many research works on the grammar of the language were developed by Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Abdurrahimbey Haqverdiyev, Bakir Chobanzade, Javad Akhundzade, Khalid Said Khojayev and others were published just at that period. The First Turkology Congress held in 1926 in Baku was the logical continuation of the achievements that gave impulse to new scientific researches.

In 1920, the linguistic researches were centred in the Azerbaijan Research and Study Society and the Azerbaijan State Scientific-Research Institute. Afterwards, these researches were carried out more systematically and comprehensively by the then newly-created Azerbaijan Department of the Caucasian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and the Institute of the Language and Literature under the Azerbaijan Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

In 1945 after establishing the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Azerbaijani linguistics stepped on a new development level. With the coming into operation of an independent Institute of Linguistics in 1969, a firm background for successive achievements in our linguistics was created, by setting a course for a fast pace of development. Thorough scientific researches carried out by Mammadagha Shiraliyev, Adulazal Damirchizade, Mukhtar Huseynzade, Alihaydar Orujov, Salim Cafarov, Alovsat Abdullayev, Farhad Zeybalov and other scientists enriched not only the Azerbaijan linguistics, but also the Azerbaijani public opinion as a whole.   

The leader of the Azerbaijani nation Heydar Aliyev was the very first who paid special attention to the Azerbaijani literary language and achieved the inclusion of the Azerbaijani language as the State language under a special article in the Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR. It is the result of the language policy as a part of the State Building Strategy applied by Heydar Aliyev that in the 1970s the history of the Azerbaijani language was intensively researched; numerous scientific and theoretical works on the problems of the language were developed. In 1974, the four-volume work “Modern Azerbaijani Language” for higher educational institutions was evaluated by the leader as a gift to the development of the national linguistics and by his initiative; the book was honoured with a State Award of the Republic.

A deep appreciation for the Azerbaijani language, the works of the Azerbaijani linguists in general, and attention on behalf of the Government, introduced Azerbaijan as one of the centres of Turkology not only in the post-Soviet Union, but also in the international scientific community. The only journal of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR of that time in the related field “Turkology” was published just in Baku. 

After regaining independence the Azerbaijani language has played exceptional  importance as the State language in political-public, socio-economic and scientific-cultural life of the nation. National leader Heydar Aliyev approved two historical Decrees: “Improvement of the Use of the State Language” dated June 18, 2001, and “On Implementation of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On the State Language in the Republic of Azerbaijan” dated January 2003, due to which the scope of the literary Azerbaijani language has been broadened with the potentiality of its various methods being discovered and entirely new prospects being opened for our language skills and habits.     

On top of that, it is felt that the infinite potentiality of the modern Azerbaijani language has not been properly used lately and its incorrect application is striking. The specialists are not  skilled enough to identify and prevent ‘foreign elements’ causing harm to the specific objective laws of the development of the literary language. Consequently, some problems clearly manifest themselves in the application of the State language.

The violation of literary language norms by local publications, radio and television channels has become rather common thus ignoring the importance of our language as a main socio-political phenomenon and spiritual life factor.

As a rule, the level of film dubbing, translated scientific and literary works, and op-ed pieces, fails to meet the requirements; they are dull and worthless, and lack of broad expression capability in our language which is incomparably unlimited. Violation of any lexical and grammatical rules of the Azerbaijani language on bills and posters in the streets and squares has turned out to be not only an undesirable indication of language culture, but also the level of culture in all. 

At times, incorrect ideas, spoken on the history of the language aren’t reacted duly and fundamental works on the development phases of the language are not done by virtue of reliable historical sources. In a number of cases very common topics without any serious practical value which fall behind the theoretical level of the modern language are selected for scientific researches.

Insufficiency of internet resources, as well as electronic and interactive manuals, and inconformity of text-books for foreigners learning the Azerbaijani language to modern requirements, cause certain concerns. Restraining of Azerbaijani linguists from the linguistic processes worldwide during the Soviet Union created certain gaps that have not been fully eradicated yet.

Our linguistic science not only should make urgent steps towards the improvement of the Azerbaijani language, but also relationships with other Turkic languages, and prepare draft projects on theoretical researches of modern languages including ancient world languages and cultures.

In order to improve State care for the use and development of the Azerbaijani language, which is a main symbol of our Statehood and promotion of linguistics domestically governed by Clause 32 of Article 109 of the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, I hereby resolve as follows:

1. To prepare draft State Program on the use of the Azerbaijani language in the context of globalization, in accordance with the requirements of the times and the development of linguistics in the country jointly with the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the

Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other related institutions and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers not later than October 1, 2012

2. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Republic shall submit draft State Program governed by Article 1 of this Decree to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan not later than November 01, 2012.

3. To create Terminology Commission under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Republic to regulate and coordinate the term creation process in the Azerbaijani language.

4. To create the Translation Centre under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Republic to centralize and manage translation work in various fields of activity.

5. To Commission the Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Republic to solve other issues arising from this Decree. 

IlhamAliyev

President of the Azerbaijan Republic

Baku, May 23, 2012