The Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan is unhappy with memes about Kazakh language, as well as headlines of the Russian media. According to the first deputy head of the department, Dauren Abayev, the Russian media misuse the situation with the new legislation on the rules of outdoor advertising in a country that obliges owners of signs to give priority to the Kazakh language, says Sputnik.
“First you need to note that in some Russian media information about the bill has been submitted somewhat one-sided, I would even say, manipulatively. It sounds like we are taking a law prohibiting Russian in outdoor advertising,” Abaev said. The official is confident that many readers do not view news further title and, thus, form an incorrect opinion about the situation with the Russian language in Kazakhstan.
“We have the Internet filled with memes, in which the direct calculated translation of titles or slogans in the Kazakh language is ridiculed. Full nonsense is obtained,” Abaev complained. The representative of the authorities explained that Kazakhstan is trying to bring order in the language environment and, in his opinion, there are no restrictions for the use of Russian language.
The new rules for using the state language in Kazakhstan provide for the mandatory translation of all outdoor information into Kazakh – signs, price tags, pointers and ads. According to the deputy of the Parliament of the country, Berica Abdyagalyuly, the Russian language must only be used “as needed.” At the same time, the authorities of Kazakhstan emphasize that there is no deorder in the country, and new measures are aimed at defencing the Kazakh language.
Earlier in Kazakhstan, the nationalists began to organize in the country “Language patrols”, having raids on cafes and restaurants. At the same time using the Russian language called “gastarbaters” and “fascists”.