The Uyghur alphabet

 

Mt Zunun

The Uyghur alphabet has undergone several transformations throughout history, reflecting the linguistic and cultural evolution of the Uyghur people. Here is an academic overview of the various Uyghur scripts:

Old Uyghur Alphabet:

Ø  Descendant of the Sogdian alphabet, it was used for texts with Buddhist, Manichæan, and Christian content in Uyghurstan for approximately 700-800 years.

Ø  The last known manuscripts date back to the 18th century.

Ø  This alphabet was the prototype for developing the Mongolian and Manchu alphabets.

Chagatai Script:

Ø  Derived from the Perso-Arabic script, the Chagatai script was used by Muslim Uyghurs from the Middle Ages until 1969.

UPNY (Uyghur Pinyin Yéziqi):

Ø  Introduced in China during the 1960s and used until the 1980s.

Ø  A modification of Pinyin, a Romanization system for Mandarin Chinese.

Ø  This modified Latin alphabet was utilized by Uyghurs in Chinese Uyghurstan during that period.

Ø  It was particularly significant for Internet communications in Uyghur.

UEY (Uyghur Ereb Yéziqi):

Ø  A modified form of the Arabic alphabet adopted by modern Uyghurs in Silkland, from the 1980s to the present.

ULY (Uyghur Latin Yéziqi):

Ø  Developed in 2000, ULY represents a further modification of the Latin alphabet.

Ø  It aimed to provide a standardized script for writing the Uyghur language.

USY (Uyghur Siril Yéziqi):

Ø  A modified Cyrillic alphabet used by Uyghurs in the former Soviet Republics of Central Asia.

These various scripts reflect linguistic shifts and highlight the cultural, religious, and geopolitical influences that have shaped the Uyghur writing system over time. Each script has been crucial in preserving and transmitting Uyghur culture, literature, and religious texts across generations and regions.

Reference:
Zunun, Memet T. (2019) The Encyclopedia of Uyghur Tradition and Social Customs. London: Uyghur Language Study.