Russians and foreigners study the Kabardian language at KBSU

On March 14, the entire Circassian world celebrated the Day of the Mother Language and Writing, established in 2000 in honor of the publication in Tiflis on March 14, 1853 of the first «Primer of the Circassian Language» (the book was republished in 2017)

The Adyghe (Circassian) language, whose speakers now live in different countries and continents, is the state language in three constituent entities of the Russian Federation: Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia.

The desire to preserve ethnic self-identification in the context of globalization is the need of every nation. A person in a rapidly changing reality feels the need to have a solid support, to remember who he is, to know the roots, customs and traditions of his people, culture, and, of course, language.

Bzer gum and Iemalsh (language — a guide for the heart) — says a Kabardian proverb. It is in the language that the age-old folk wisdom, the present and future of the people are concentrated.

Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov annually holds events dedicated to the Day of the Adyghe (Circassian) language and writing. On the eve of the holiday, the university became one of the sites for the international action «Adyghe dictation», organized by the International Circassian Association. For its participants, the important thing is not an assessment, but a test of their abilities.

According to Muslim Tamazov, director of the KBSU Social and Humanitarian Institute, the university is implementing educational programs in national philology, within the framework of which specialists are trained in the native languages ​​of the indigenous peoples of the KBR — Kabardian and Balkarian. Currently, 70 people are studying at the bachelor’s level, and 27 people are studying at the master’s level.

Graduates work in educational, scientific, public organizations, cultural and art institutions. They are in demand in book publishers, mass media, published in electronic and paper formats.

“First-year students studying in all specialties and areas of training of our university study the discipline“ Native language ”, the content of which contributes to the improvement of knowledge of the native language, as well as the ability to verbalize and apply in life the customs and traditions of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria. That is, the emphasis is on the proficiency of colloquial speech.

As for students who are native speakers of other languages, they can voluntarily attend classes in the Kabardian or Balkarian language, and there are many of them among students in different courses.

The departments of the Kabardino-Circassian language and literature (head of the department, Doctor of Philology, Professor Khamisha Tarkanovich Timizhev), Karachai-Balkarian Philology (Head of the Department, Doctor of Philology, Professor Ketenchiev Mussa Bakhautdinovich) actively carry out research work in the field of linguistics and literary criticism.

The Department of Ethnology, History of the Peoples of the KBR and Journalism, headed by Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Madina Anatolyevna Tekueva, plays an important role in the education of the national identity of the indigenous peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria.

Only in Kabardino-Balkaria and the Republic of Adygea there are specialized dissertation councils on the Adyghe (Circassian) language. So, the dissertation council of KBSU D.212.076.05, chaired by Doctor of Philology, Professor Svetlana Konakbievna Bashiyeva, accepts for the defense of a dissertation for the degree of Doctor and Candidate of Philology in specialties 10.02.02 — languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, 10.02.19 — theory of language … PhD theses in Kabardian philology are defended not only among the local population, residents of other regions of Russia, but also among representatives of the Adyghe diaspora abroad.

All Circassian students who come from different countries study their native language at KBSU. Classes in additional education programs are held twice a week and are in great demand, because many foreign students of Circassian origin enter our university in order not only to acquire a particular profession, but also to improve their knowledge of their native language. Among them there are those who, under the guidance of teachers, study the language of their ancestors from scratch.

The national centers of the Adyghe, Balkarian and Russian cultures of the Social and Humanitarian Institute of the KBSU are doing a lot to preserve and develop their native languages ​​and culture,” — Muslim Sultanovich said.

The language of the Circassians is complex, it is used less and less, but representatives of the ancient people living in different regions of the world value and respect their native language, strive to raise its status.

In our country, this is ensured by Article 69 of the Constitution, according to which the state protects the cultural identity of all peoples and ethnic communities of the Russian Federation, guarantees the preservation of ethnocultural and linguistic diversity.