Classical Mongolian Script: State Policy Revisited

Introduction. The Mongolian script is a prime example of the written culture of Mongols. Over the past 30 years, the Mongolian State and Government have been implementing step-by-step measures to restore and apply the Mongolian script. Goals. The survey study aims to provide an analysis on the content of each event thereto, scope of corresponding activities, and outcomes of those actions — and also identify at what level these orders and decrees are not being implemented, and what should be done to ensure that these measures be fully executed. Materials. The study analyzes decrees, orders and resolutions of the President and the Government of Mongolia. It largely focuses on the ‘National Program for Mongolian Script — I, II, III’ which was conducted by the Government since 1995. Results. The paper shows that the restoration of the national written language is one of the important tasks of the state system in Mongolia. The decree of the Small State Khural (1991) on the introduction of records management in Mongolian script in the country and the corresponding decree of the Great State Khural (1994) on the intensification of work for the implementation of this goal and the development of the National Program for Mongolian Script were of great importance for the restoration of the significance of Mongolian script. In subsequent years, the solution of the tasks was facilitated by decrees of the President of Mongolia on the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Mongolian script (2003) and on the expansion and acceleration of work on the use of Mongolian script (2018). The National Program developed in accordance with the decision of the supreme legislative body has been implemented since 1995 and contains tasks for the transition to the use of two scripts from 2025. But the measures that have been carried out since 1995 at various levels did not provide a sufficient basis for introduction of the two scripts (national Mongolian and Cyrillic ones) into the public life from 2025. However, in 2020, the practice of accelerated learning of the Mongolian script and its application began. At the moment, it is necessary to identify the difficulties that may arise when using two scripts in Mongolia since 2025. Thus, for a quarter of a century, the issue of restoring the status of the national writing system has been consistently resolved.

1. About the Mongolian Language. On: Integrated Legal Information System. Section ‘Law of Mongolia’. Posted on February 12, 2015. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/law/details/10932 (accessed: February 12, 2020). (In Mong.)

2. Ariunbold Ch. National Program for Mongolian Script – III. On: Montsame. Posted on June 5, 2020. Available at: https://www.montsame.mn/mn/read/224500 (accessed: August 18, 2020). (In Mong.)

3. Decree of the State Great Khural of 8 July 1994 On Discussion over Implementation of Objectives Manifested in the Decree of the State Small Khural no. 36 (1991). On: Integrated Legal Information System. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/law/details/6767?lawid=6767 (accessed: December 20, 2020). (In Mong.)

4. Decree of the State Great Khural On the Enactment of National Program for Mongolian Script of 23 June 1995. On: Integrated Legal Information System. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/law/details/6353?lawid=6353 (accessed: December 25, 2020). (In Mong.)

5. Elbegzayaa B. Mongolian Script: Chronicles of the Past Twenty Years. Ulaanbaatar: Montsame, 2004. 112 p. (In Mong.)

6. Mikhaylov G. I. Heritage of Acad. B. Ya. Vladimirtsov revisited: Speech at the conference on Kalmyk transcription and orthography. In: Mongolica. Commemorating Acad. Boris Ya. Vladimirtsov, 1884–1931. Moscow: Nauka, GRVL, 1986. Pp. 10–22. (In Russ.)

7. National Program for Mongolian Script – II (annulled by Government Decree no. 96 in 2020). On: Integrated Legal Information System. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/annex/details/2390?lawid=7833 (accessed: December 25, 2020). (In Mong.)

8. National Program for Mongolian Script – III Approved. On: Mongolian National Council for Education Accreditation. Website. Posted on March 18, 2020. Available at: http://accmon.mn/mongol-bichgiyn-үndesniy-khөtөlbөr-iii-yg-kheleltsen-batallaa/ (accessed: August 18, 2020). (In Mong.)

9. National Security Concept. 2010. On: Integrated Legal Information System. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/annex/details/8070?lawid=6163 (accessed: December 20, 2020). (In Mong.)

10. Presidential Edict On Celebrations of the 800th Anniversary Since Mongolian Script Was Adopted by Genghis Khan of 25 June 2003. On: Integrated Legal Information System. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/law/details/810?lawid=810 (accessed: December 20, 2020). (In Mong.)

11. Presidential Edict On Some Measures Aimed at Facilitating the Official Use of Mongolian Script of 6 July 2010. On: Integrated Legal Information System. Available at: https://www.legalinfo.mn/law/details/746 (accessed: December 25, 2020). (In Mong.)

12. Presidential Edict On the Intensified Use of Mongolian Script Published. On: Website of President Kh. Battulga. Posted on April 5, 2018. Available at: https://president.mn/3458/ (accessed: December 25, 2020). (In Mong.)

13. Presidential Edict On the Intensified Use of Mongolian Script. On: Ikon Next Horizon. Posted on May 4, 2018. Available at: https://ikon.mn/n/1a6v (accessed: May 4, 2018). (In Mong.)

14. Saikhan T., Od B. ‘National Program for Mongolian Script: implementation efforts insufficient’. On: Zuuny Medee. Newspaper Website. Issue of September 25, 2020. No. 186 (6411). Available at: http://www.zms.mn/a/80863 (accessed: December 20, 2020). (In Mong.)

15. The History of Mongolia. Vol. II. Ulaanbaatar: ADMON, 2004. 412 p. (In Mong.)

16. The History of Mongolia. Vol. V. Ulaanbaatar: ADMON, 2004. 501 p. (In Mong.)

17. Tüdev L. Collected Works. Vol. XXXV. Ulaanbaatar: InterPress, 2013. 580 p. (In Mong.)