Phonetic characteristics of the language of the national press in the period of ADR (1918-1920)

Abstract

The article investigates the phonetic and orthographic features of nationally oriented press organizations during the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920). During this time period, references are made to the original versions of newspapers and periodicals published in the Arabic alphabet, and numerous examples of various linguistic phenomena are provided.

Phonetic phenomena such as sound replacement (m>b, n>m, d>t, t>d) and sound displacement (rp>pr) are investigated in comparison with either written monuments or the contemporary Azerbaijani language. Using the comparative-historical method, the letter nun (ن), which historically existed in our language, is examined both in the composition of the word and in the composition of grammatical suffixes. Additionally, one of the orthographic features of the press language of the ADR period is the writing of a sound with various letters or a letter expressing a different sound.

Simultaneously, the languages of different newspapers and journals are compared. The language of “Evrak-ı Nefise” is distinguished by its closeness by Ottoman Turkish, while “Sheypur” journal, due to its phonetic and orthographic characteristics, emphasizes to the modern Azerbaijani language.

At the demand of the sociopolitical structure of the time, the influence of Ottoman Turkish on the Azerbaijani language had a significant impact on the pages of the national press, manifesting itself in a variety of styles.