Official script

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An official script is a script that is specifically designated to be official in the constitutions or other applicable laws of countries, states, and other territories.

Akin to an official language, an official script is much rarer. It is used primarily where an official language is in practice written with two or more scripts. As, in these languages, use of script often has cultural or political connotations, proclamation of an official script is sometimes criticised as having a goal of influencing culture or politics or both. Desired effects also may include easing education, communication and some other aspects of life.

Some countries which have an official script are:

• Azerbaijan - Latin-based Azeri alphabet
• Nagorno-Karabakh - Armenian alphabet
• In Bosnia and Herzegovina:
• Republika Srpska - Cyrillic alphabet
• Croatia - Latin alphabet
• Georgia - Georgian alphabet
• Separatist government of Abkhazia - Cyrillic-based Abkhaz alphabet
• Separatist government of South Ossetia - Cyrillic alphabet
• Kazakhstan - Cyrillic alphabet
• Moldova - Latin alphabet
• Separatist government of Transnistria - Cyrillic alphabet
• Montenegro - Cyrillic alphabet and Latin alphabet
• Russian Federation - Cyrillic alphabet
• Serbia - Cyrillic alphabet
• Turkey - Latin-based Turkish alphabet

In the Russian Federation, the designation of the Cyrillic alphabet as an official script (2001) has the consequence that the official languages of national Republics of Russia have to be written in the Cyrillic alphabet in all official institutions and education. The passing of the law was met with particular resistance and criticism in the Republic of Tatarstan, as it replaced the Turkish Latin alphabet which the local government tried to promote in education after the dissolution of USSR.

In Serbia, because either the Cyrillic or the Latin script may be used for the Serbian language, but only the Cyrillic script is official, some groups argue that this amounts to a discriminatory legal situation.

See also

• Official language
• Spelling reform

References

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Last updated on Tuesday February 05, 2008 at 05:14:49 PST (GMT -0800)
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