Language policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan is an integral part of the state national policy and occupies a special place in the system of regulation of ethno-social and ethno-cultural processes. It is an essential tool for ensuring the harmonious coexistence of different ethnic groups, strengthening interethnic harmony and forming a unified civic consciousness based on respect for the country's linguistic diversity.

In the context of Kazakhstan's multiethnic and polylingualism, language policy is aimed not only at developing and strengthening the state language – Kazakh, as a key factor of national identity, but also at ensuring conditions for the preservation and functioning of the languages of other ethnic groups living in the country. This is in line with the spirit of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the provisions of the Law «On Languages in the Republic of Kazakhstan», which enshrines the principle of equal respect for the languages of all peoples of Kazakhstan.

Language policy in Kazakhstan is necessary to create practical conditions for the protection, support and development of ethno-cultural and linguistic traditions of peoples, promoting social integration, strengthening social harmony and reducing ethno-political tensions. It becomes especially significant in the context of globalization, migration processes and identity transformation, when the issues of linguistic self-identification acquire a new meaning.

Activities in the field of language policy are implemented by State bodies, civil society institutions, scientific and educational institutions, as well as through the participation of international organizations. The language policy of Kazakhstan is based on scientific approaches in the field of sociolinguistics and ethnopolitics, combining theoretical foundations with pragmatic goals of preserving national unity and ensuring sustainable development.

Its content is determined by a number of factors: the historical and cultural specifics of ethno-linguistic and ethno-political relations, strategic priorities of state national policy, the system of legal and institutional mechanisms, as well as existing socio-cultural practices and public perception of language issues. Ultimately, language policy in Kazakhstan plays a key role in ensuring the stability, mutual respect and integrity of Kazakhstan's multiethnic society.

Language policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan, as an integral part of the state national policy, goes through three key stages of conceptualization: development of strategic guidelines and goals, language modeling and implementation of the tasks set.

At the first stage – the stage of developing guidelines – the tasks of language policy are designed or reinterpreted taking into account the current sociolinguistic situation. Here, a state concept is formed that reflects both historical and cultural features and prospects for the development of Kazakhstan's society. The state, analyzing the dynamics of the ethno-linguistic situation, selects the most adequate model of language policy, predicting possible scenarios of its development. In Kazakhstan's reality, this means the need for a balance between strengthening the position of the state language – Kazakh-and respect for the languages of other ethnic groups living in the country.

The second stage – language modeling-involves creating and adapting an optimal model of language policy that meets social, cultural, and political objectives. At this stage, the directions of expanding or limiting the spheres of functioning of the state and ethno-linguistic languages are determined. In Kazakhstan, not only state structures, but also non-governmental organizations, research centers and educational institutions are actively involved in the formation of language models. This makes the language policy more inclusive and sustainable.

Within this stage, three main models of language policy can be distinguished, which are also applicable to Kazakhstan's conditions:

- the integrative model is focused on monolingual development, where the main attention is paid to the teaching and functioning of the state language, while tolerance to other languages is shown without giving them an official status. In the Kazakh context, this is reflected in increased support for the Kazakh language as the main factor of the nation-state, while preserving the language rights of the Russian-speaking population and other ethnic groups;

- the exclusive model also aims at linguistic homogenization, but may be accompanied by restrictions on the linguistic rights of minorities. For Kazakhstan, such a model is hardly applicable, as it contradicts the Constitution and the policy of public consent;

- the polynomial model is a pluralistic approach that assumes official recognition of minority languages and their use in the public and administrative sphere. In Kazakhstan, elements of this model are implemented in certain regions where ethnic groups live compactly, through the support of cultural centers, mass media and educational programs in their native languages.

The multinomial model can take two forms: regional, focused on the development of minority languages in specific territories through a system of ethno-cultural autonomy, and socio-cultural, involving the formation of parallel institutions to support multilingualism in education, media, and public life.

The effectiveness of language policy largely depends on the recognition of linguistic identities, their compliance with socio-economic and political needs, as well as on the level of public involvement in the implementation of language initiatives.

At the third stage – the implementation stage – the chosen model is implemented in everyday practice. Public authorities seek to give language policy legitimacy by forming the public's understanding and acceptance of its goals. In Kazakhstan, this is done through the education system, media policy, language courses, and government support programs.

Public acceptance or non-acceptance of the principles of the current language policy serves as an indicator of its effectiveness and allows you to adjust the strategy at the national, regional and local levels. Given the multi-ethnic composition of Kazakhstan's population, the success of language policy is possible only if there is a broad public dialogue, respect for cultural diversity, and sustained institutional support.

Language policy performs a number of important socio-cultural and political-legal functions^[175]: as a state activity aimed at changing the language situation, it determines the system of measures of regulatory influence of the state on the development of language processes and the dissemination of national languages in areas of social interaction, establishes forms of political and legal control over the language situation, determines the conditions and mechanisms for resolving ethno-linguistic conflicts, etc. contradictions.

Language policy is classified not only by the mechanisms of implementation of socio-economic, cultural-ideological, and political-legal functions, but also by the nature of these mechanisms. In scientific and applied practice, there are two main types of language policy: positive and negative, each of which reflects a different approach to the issues of language regulation.

Positive language policy is aimed at expanding the spheres of functioning of languages, increasing their communicative and cultural status, supporting literary forms and developing linguistic diversity. It creates conditions for the institutional strengthening of languages through education, media, science and culture. A classic example of a positive model is the language policy of Switzerland, where all indigenous languages have official status. A similar approach is demonstrated by the Russian Federation, where the right of peoples to preserve and develop their native languages is enshrined, and bilingualism and trilingualism are actively encouraged.

In the context of Kazakhstan, the elements of a positive language policy manifest themselves in supporting the Kazakh language as the state language, while providing conditions for the functioning of the Russian language and the languages of other ethnic groups. Programs like «Ushtugyrly til» (Trinity of Languages) and the development of the Kazakh language infrastructure (for example, digital resources, training courses, media platforms) are expressions of a positive approach aimed at integration, not displacement.

Negative language policy, on the contrary, involves artificially narrowing the socio-cultural and communicative functions of a non-native or unofficial language, promoting one dominant language at the expense of others. Such policies may include restrictions on access to education in native languages, discrimination in the public use of languages, and reduced institutional support for minority languages. In the context of a multi-ethnic and multicultural state, such as Kazakhstan, such an approach contradicts the basic principles of the constitutional structure and the policy of public consent.

Language policy can be implemented in both monolingual and multilingual countries, as well as in a transnational context-beyond national borders, for example, in countries with large diasporas. In the context of Kazakhstan, language policy is implemented within the framework of a multilingual state, where along with the state language, Russian is officially recognized as the language of interethnic communication, as well as the rights of other languages of ethnic minorities are guaranteed.

It is also important to distinguish between centralized and decentralized models of language policy. Centralized language policy is implemented primarily through central authorities, which form national standards and mandatory regulatory frameworks. An example is the language policy of the USSR, where state bodies strictly regulated education, the publication of literature and office work in certain languages. In Kazakhstan, centralization is manifested, for example, through the implementation of national programs for the development of the state language, such as the Concept for the development of language Policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2023–2029. A decentralized language policy is implemented at the level of regional and local authorities and can take into account the peculiarities of the ethno-linguistic composition of the population of specific territories. In the context of Kazakhstan, this approach is relevant for regions with a high concentration of ethnic groups, for example, in South Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan or Kostanay regions, where local programs are implemented to support minority languages through local cultural centers, libraries and mass media.

Thus, language policy as part of a state's national strategy can take different forms depending on its goals, the nature of its impact, and the level of implementation. In the Kazakh context, a positive and balanced model with elements of decentralization, aimed at supporting the state language, preserving the languages of ethnic minorities and forming a unified civil society based on the principles of respect for linguistic and cultural diversity, seems to be the most effective.

---

^[175] Fedyunina S. M. State Language Policy and Language Planning in the Context of the Development of a Multiethnic Russian Society // Vestnik PAGS. – 2012. – No. 31. – Pp. 16-22.