Language Research

The first draft of the Constitution of Tajikistan was published in the spring of 1992. Its Preamble begins with the words “We Tajiks...” and Article 2 states that, “the official language of the Republic of Tajikistan will be the Tajik (Farsi) language.” The entire draft, and especially the language provision, which reinforced the Language Law of 1989, drew immediate protests from members of Tajikistan's national-ethnic communities. These communities, including Armenians, Georgians, Jews, Germans, Koreans, Ossetins, Russians, Tatar-Bashkirs, Uzbeks and Uighurs, are represented by the Coordinating Council of National Association (Communities) of the Republic of Tajikistan. As the Council pointed out, “as it is clear from the Preamble, over 40% of the non-Tajik population is not recognized by the authors of the draft of the new Constitution of Tajikistan.”