The Writing and Numeral System of the Azerbaijani Language: A Deep Dive into Linguistic Nuances

Introduction

Azerbaijani, also known as Azeri, is the official language of Azerbaijan and is spoken by the Azerbaijani diaspora in countries like Iran, Turkey, and Russia. Belonging to the Turkic language family, Azerbaijani has a rich and complex linguistic history, with influences from Persian, Arabic, and Russian, among other languages. The language has undergone several changes in its writing system throughout history, including a shift from Arabic to Latin script. This article aims to provide an in-depth look at the writing and numeral system used in Azerbaijani.

The Azerbaijani Writing System

Historical Evolution

The Azerbaijani writing system has undergone significant transformations over the years. Initially, Azerbaijani was written in the Arabic script due to Islamic influence in the region. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent establishment of Soviet rule, the Azerbaijani script was switched to Latin in 1929 and later to Cyrillic in 1939. However, in 1991, after Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union, the script reverted back to a modified Latin alphabet.

The Latin Alphabet

The modern Azerbaijani Latin alphabet consists of 32 letters. While the alphabet is largely similar to the Turkish Latin alphabet, it contains certain letters that are unique. This Latin script incorporates diacritical marks like cedillas (ş, ç) and accents (ğ, ı) to denote specific sounds that differ from the base letter. The Azerbaijani Latin alphabet is phonetic, meaning that words are spelled as they are pronounced.

The Arabic Script in Azerbaijani

In the south of Azerbaijan and among communities in Iran, the Arabic script is still in use for Azerbaijani. The Arabic-based Azerbaijani alphabet contains 32 letters and, like the Latin script, is phonetic. This script is particularly prevalent among older Azerbaijani communities and is an important part of the cultural heritage of Azerbaijani speakers in Iran.

The Cyrillic Script

While largely phased out in Azerbaijan, the Cyrillic script is occasionally used by Azerbaijani communities in Dagestan and other regions in Russia. The Azerbaijani Cyrillic alphabet contains 36 letters and was employed during the Soviet period.

Romanization and Transliteration

The Azerbaijani language has multiple systems for transliteration into Latin or Cyrillic scripts. These systems facilitate the transfer of Azerbaijani text into scripts that are easier for non-native speakers to understand and provide a standard for international communication.

The Azerbaijani Numeral System

Arabic Numerals

The numeral system in Azerbaijani is based on Arabic numerals (0-9), similar to those used in English and most other European languages. This makes the numbering system relatively easy to understand and integrate into global contexts.

Word Forms for Numbers

In Azerbaijani, the words for numbers are agglutinative, like many other Turkic languages. The language employs a decimal system for counting. Word forms for tens and hundreds are constructed by appending the word for the unit to the word for the power of ten. For example, “thirty” in Azerbaijani is “otuz,” and “three” is “üç.” Therefore, “thirty-three” would be “otuz üç.”

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers in Azerbaijani are generally formed by adding the suffix “-ci” to the cardinal number. For instance, “bir” (one) becomes “birinci” (first), and “iki” (two) becomes “ikinci” (second).

Conclusion

The Azerbaijani language’s writing system is an intricate tapestry, woven together from strands of different historical periods, regional preferences, and cultural influences. The Latin, Arabic, and Cyrillic scripts each serve different communities and historical epochs, contributing to the linguistic richness of Azerbaijani. Moreover, the language’s numeral system, based on Arabic numerals, stands as a testament to the global influences that have shaped Azerbaijani over the centuries. Overall, the writing and numeral systems of Azerbaijani offer a fascinating glimpse into the complex history and dynamic modernity of this Turkic language.