Language is a means of communication and preservation of national identity

“As long as the language of the people is alive in the mouths of the people, so long is the people alive,” wrote Konstantin Ushinsky, the founder of scientific pedagogy in Russia. Since 2000, many countries around the world have celebrated mother tongue day, established by UNESCO, a specialized agency of the United Nations for education, science and culture. Promoting linguistic and cultural diversity, protecting endangered languages is an important and urgent task, because dozens of languages of different peoples are in danger of disappearing, and a number of languages have been declared dead. Rarely, but still, the reverse process occurs — the revival of languages.

In addition to Hebrew, this category includes Hawaiian and the language of the Australian aborigines Barngarla. According to the authors of the project «Languages of Russia» of the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in 2022 in our country there were 155 living languages and 15 languages that have fallen asleep and disappeared since the beginning of the 20th century. Article 68 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation establishes that the state language in the country is Russian as the language of the state-forming people, while the republics have the right to establish their own state languages, which, along with Russian, are used in state authorities, local governments, state institutions of these subjects. The Russian Federation guarantees to all its peoples the right to preserve their native language, to create conditions for its study and development.

*** There are three titular nations and three state languages in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic — Kabardian, Balkar and Russian. Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after HM. Berbekov, where about 18 thousand students from 50 regions of Russia and 45 countries of the world study, there is a center of Adyghe culture named after. A.A. Tsipinov, center of Balkar culture named after A. K. S. Otarova, Scientific and Educational Center of the Russian Language and Culture. Teachers, scientists, students strive to contribute to the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the autochthonous peoples of the republic.

*** Director of the Center for Adyghe Culture of KBSU, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Kabardino-Circassian Language and Literature Madina Ezaova spoke about a number of events dedicated to the Day of Native Languages, as well as the Day of the Adyghe (Circassian) Language and Writing, which is celebrated on March 14: From mid-February, language master classes will be held at the university for a month.

So, on February 16, the teacher of the native language of school No. 1 s. Anzorey of the Leskensky district of the KBR Zh. Chegem 2 of the Chegemsky district M. Alakaeva — about electronic resources for the development of thematic classes in the native language. School geography teacher Inarkoy of the Tersky district R. Kerefov will inform students at the Institute of Architecture, Construction and Design about the terminology of minerals in the Kabardian language. On the first of March, the history teacher of school No. 3 with L. Kankulova will introduce the future lawyers to the Psygansu of the Urvan region with the method of studying the history of their genealogy, creating a family tree.

On March 7, students of the Institute of Chemistry and Biology will learn from the biology teacher of school No. 1 s.p. Chegem 2 of the Chegemsky district R. Kadykoeva about the terminology of rare medicinal plants. On February 22, activists of the center of Adyghe culture, students of the Higher School of Education and the Pedagogical College of the KBSU will gather for an evening of patriotic songs.

On March 20, foreign compatriot students will take part in a competition for knowledge of the Adyghe (Circassian) language. This event was organized jointly with the Ministry of Nationalities and Public Projects of the KBR and the Higher School of International Education of the KBSU.

*** Zhamilya Doduyeva, Director of the Balkarian Culture Center of the KBSU, also included a marathon of master classes conducted by teachers of the Balkarian language and literature from Nalchik schools among the events dedicated to the Day of Native Languages. In February, Aslizhan Gazayeva, an honored teacher of the KBR, the winner of the competition of the national project «Education», who works in the educational institution «Success», spoke at the Pedagogical College on the topic «My language is my soul».

Daumkhan Kozhasheva, a teacher of the highest qualification category from school No. 33, spoke about the formation of an adverb in the Karachay-Balkarian language; the teacher of the highest category, teacher of the Balkar language and literature of school No. 17 in Nalchik Khalimat Barokova spoke about the customs and traditions of the Balkar people, and her colleague Farida Ulbasheva spoke about the role of music in the work of K. Kuliyev.

Tanzilya Bichekuyeva, candidate of philological sciences, teacher of the highest qualification category, teacher of the Balkarian language and literature of the Nalchik school No. 9, told students about new approaches to teaching the Balkar language in elementary school, in Russian-speaking groups.

Aminat Boziyeva, the winner of the competition of the national project » Education”, a teacher of the highest qualification category, a teacher of the Balkar language and literature school number 16 with. Khasanya Nalchik. On February 21, the Pedagogical College will host an intellectual and educational game “Who wants to become a Balkar?”, during which students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of their native language, traditions and culture.

*** In the national cultural centers of the university, in the educational departments of the university, mass educational work is being carried out, — said Mussa Ketenchiev, Doctor of Philology, Professor, Head of the Department of Karachay-Balkarian Philology of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov.

— Future specialists who receive education in the direction of «Philology» along with their native languages and literatures study the Russian language and literature. This was done purposefully to involve students in a common national culture, to form an understanding among young people of different cultures in unity, to expand employment opportunities for university graduates. Each discipline in one way or another comes to these aspects of the connection of language, thinking and culture. With the resources of language, literature, folklore, on the one hand, we reanimate what is forgotten. On the other hand, we inculcate a national culture.

Source: Kabardino-Balkarskaya Pravda, February 21

Translated by Gekkieva J.A.