19 February 2018
Astana has announced a new version of Qazaq’s latin alphabet using 32 symbols and ditching the much maligned apostrophe version launched last year.
Despite only unveiling the new alphabet in October last year, the Leader of the Nation has now changed his mind and the apostrophe-heavy alphabet has now been strangled before its birth in 2025 in favour of a diacritic-laden version.
Adios to the short-lived apostrophe
Welcome diacritics
There was an immediate reaction on social media with the Twitter hashtag #A’po’s’t’rof’dunS’a’qtap’Qal’ (#SaveTheApostrophe) getting at least three likes as pro-apostrophe fans defended the October version of the alphabet.
Kazaxia 