The Study of Onomastic Names in the Period of Independent Kazakhstan

The article examines the changes that have taken place in the onomastic space of Kazakhstan during the years of independence, as well as issues related to their study. In the post-Soviet period, as a result of the revival of national consciousness, significant transformations occurred in the names of geographical objects, settlements, and streets. At present, the issues of national onomastics have acquired great political and ideological importance at the state level. This is due to the fact that onomastic names represent a spiritual value that reflects the historical memory of the people, their cultural identity, and national self-awareness. The revival of onomastic names in accordance with national content represents an expression of decolonization policy, a process of restoring historical justice, and strengthening national consciousness. In this context, onomastics is viewed not only as a linguistic or geographical naming system, but also as a field of great socio-political and cultural significance. It is known that during the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods, colonial policy sought to erase traditional names from the people's memory, thereby weakening national identity. After gaining independence, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan established the State Onomastic Commission, which has been carrying out systematic work in this field. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, also pays special attention to issues of national onomastics. At the National Kurultai held this year, he emphasized: “The names of cities and streets should reflect the true history of our people.” The regulation of the names of cities, streets, geographical objects, and settlements in accordance with national values undoubtedly contributes to the revival of the nation’s historical memory and cultural code.

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