Language Issues in the “Akinchi” Newspaper and the Historical Dynamics of the Development of the Azerbaijani Literary Language

Abstract

Hasan bey Zardabi, through the newspaper “Akinchi”, not only laid the foundation of the national press in Azerbaijan but also made a significant contribution to the development of the Azerbaijani literary language on a national basis. His activity created favorable conditions for the systematic expansion of the lexical, grammatical, and stylistic capacities of the language. As a result, Azerbaijani began to develop not only as a means of everyday communication but also as an instrument for expressing social, scientific, and journalistic thought.

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of linguistic issues reflected in different issues of “Akinchi” from the perspective of modern linguistics. It focuses on the replacement of loanwords with native equivalents, theoretical and practical aspects of the relationship between language and speech, mechanisms of speech formation, and the influence of the social environment on linguistic behavior. At the same time, it examines the formation and development of official-business style, the activation of native linguistic units in terminology creation, the functional role of punctuation marks in the writing system, and the usage features of onomastic units such as toponyms and anthroponyms.

In addition, the study explores the enrichment of vocabulary, the historical and social nature of language contacts, mutual influence between neighboring languages, and its outcomes. Special attention is given to Zardabi’s ideas on the concept of a common Turkic language, highlighting their relevance and advanced nature in the linguistic thought of his time. Overall, Zardabi’s approach to language reflects a systematic, scientific, and enlightenment-oriented worldview and represents an important stage in the development of Azerbaijani linguistic studies.