Crimean Tatar alphabet

For the modern Crimean Tatar language, the Latin and the Cyrillic alphabets are used. The Latin script dominates on the Internet and the Cyrillic script in printed productions. Historically, the Arabic script was also used.

History

The Arabic Script
An example of Crimean Tatar Arabic script.

Crimean Tatars used the Arabic script from 16th century to 1928 when it was replaced with the Latin alphabet based on Yañalif. The Crimean variant contained a couple of modified Arabic letters.

Isolated Final Medial Initial Name Modern
Latin
ﺍﺎ— elifa, â
ﺀ— hemze-
ﺏﺐﺒﺑ beb, p (word-finally)
ﭖﭗﭙﭘ pep
ﺕﺖﺘﺗ tet
ﺙﺚﺜﺛ ses
ﺝﺞﺠﺟ cimc
ﭺﭻﭽﭼ çimç
ﺡﺢﺤﺣ ha-
ﺥﺦﺨﺧ hıh
ﺩﺪ— dald
ﺫﺬ— zelz
ﺭﺮ— rer
ﺯﺰ— zez
ﮊﮋ— jej
ﺱﺲﺴﺳ sins
ﺵﺶﺸﺷ şinş
ﺹﺺﺼﺻ sads
ﺽﺾﻀﺿ dadd, z
ﻁﻂﻄﻃ tıt
ﻅﻆﻈﻇ zız
ﻉﻊﻌﻋ ayn-
ﻍﻎﻐﻏ ğaynğ
ﻑﻒﻔﻓ fef
ﻕﻖﻘﻗ qafq
ﻙﻚﻜﻛ kef
(kef-i arabiy)		k (g, ñ)1
ﮒﮓﮕﮔ gef
(kef-i farsiy)		g
ﯓﯔﯖﯕ nef
(kef-i nuniy, sağır kef)		ñ
ﻝﻞﻠﻟ lâml
ﻡﻢﻤﻣ mimm
ﻥﻦﻨﻧ nunn
ﻭﻮ— vavv, o, ö, u, ü
ﻩﻪﻬﻫ he-, e, a
ﻻﻼ— lâm-elifla, lâ
ﻯﻰﻴﻳ yey, ı, i

1 — The letter ﻙ (kef) was often used in place of ﮒ and ﯓ.

The Latin Alphabet
An example of Crimean Tatar Latin alphabet of 1920s. In modern orthography: «KÖYLİ VE SU ANASI: Bir köyli baltasını özenge tüşürgen, su kenarında oturub qayğısından ağlamağa başlağan edi. Su anası bunı işitdi, köylini acidi ve sudan altın bir balta çıkarıb „bu seniñmi?“ deb soradı.» In Cyrillic: «КОЙЛИ ВЕ СУ АНАСЫ: Бир койли балтасыны озенге тюшюрген, су кенарында отуруб къайгъысындан агъламагъа башлагъан эди. Су анасы буны ишитди, койлини аджиди ве судан алтын бир балта чыкарыб „бу сенинъми?“ деб сорады.»

In 1928 during latinisation in the Soviet Union the Crimean Tatar Arabic alphabet was replaced by the Latin alphabet based on the Yañalif script. This alphabet contained a number of differences from the modern variant. Particularly, in letters Ь ь, Ƣ ƣ, N̡ ᶇ, Ɵ ɵ, X x, Ƶ ƶ, I i instead of modern  â, Ğ ğ, I ı, İ i, Ñ ñ, Ö ö, and Ü ü.

Alphabet of 1928 Alphabet of 1997 Alphabet of 1928 Alphabet of 1997 Alphabet of 1928 Alphabet of 1997
A a A a Ь ь I ı R r R r
B ʙ B b K k K k S s S s
C c Ç ç Q q Q q Ş ş Ş ş
Ç ç C c Ƣ ƣ Ğ ğ T t T t
D d D d L l L l U u U u
E e E e M m M m Y y Ü ü
F f F f N n N n V v V v
G g G g N̡ ᶇ Ñ ñ X x H h
H h H h O o O o Z z Z z
I i İ i Ɵ ɵ Ö ö Ƶ ƶ J j
J j Y y P p P p

Modern alphabets

Latin
Crimean Tatar Latin script on the table in Bakhchisaray.

Modern Latin alphabet for Crimean Tatar was introduced in 1990s. It is based on Turkish alphabet with three special letters — Q, Ñ, Â. Its official use in Crimea was accepted in 1997 by Crimean Parliament.

A a  â* B b C c Ç ç D d E e F f
G g Ğ ğ H h I ı İ i J j K k L l
M m N n Ñ ñ O o Ö ö P p Q q R r
S s Ş ş T t U u Ü ü V v Y y Z z
﹡Ââ is not recognized as separate letter. It is used to show softness of a consonant followed by Aa.

Cyrillic
"Welcome to Crimea" (Qırımğa hoş keldiñiz!) written in Crimean Tatar Cyrillic, airport bus, Simferopol International Airport

Cyrillic for Crimean Tatar was introduced in 1938 as part of Cyrillization of languages in Soviet Union. It is based on Russian alphabet with no special letters. From 1938 to 1990s that was the only alphabet used for Crimean Tatar.

А а Б б В в Г г Гъ гъ* Д д Е е Ё ё
Ж ж З з И и Й й К к Къ къ* Л л М м
Н н Нъ нъ* О о П п Р р С с Т т У у
Ф ф Х х Ц ц Ч ч Дж дж* Ш ш Щ щ Ъ ъ
Ы ы Ь ь Э э Ю ю Я я
﹡ Гъ (ğ), къ (q), нъ (ñ) and дж (c) are separate letters of the alphabet (digraphs).

Cyrillic to Latin transliteration
Cyrillic Latin Notes
А аA a
Б бB b
В вV v
Г гG g
Гъ гъĞ ğ
Д дD d
Е е E efollowing a consonant
Ye yeword-initially, following a vowel or ь
Ё ё Ö öfollowing a consonant
Yö yöword-initially in "soft" words
Yo yoword-initially in "hard" words; following a vowel, ь or ъ
Ж жJ j
З зZ z
И иİ i
Й йY y
К кK k
Къ къQ q
Л лL l
М мM m
Н нN n
Нъ нъÑ ñ
О о Ö öif о is the first letter in a "soft" word
O oin other cases
П пP p
Р рR r
С сS s
Т тT t
У у Ü üif у is the first letter in a "soft" word
U uin other cases
Ф фF f
Х хH h
Ц цTs ts
Ч чÇ ç
Дж джC c
Ш шŞ ş
Щ щŞç şç
ъ—is not a separate letter in Cyrillic
Ы ыI ı
ь—no special signs for softness
Э эE e
Ю ю Ü üfollowing a consonant
Yü yüword-initially, following a vowel or ь in "soft" words
Yu yuword-initially, following a vowel or ь in "hard" words
Я я Â âfollowing a consonant
Ya yaword-initially, following a vowel or ь

References
  • Кай И.С. Руководство для обучения крымско-татарскому языку по новому алфавиту — Симферополь, 1928.
  • Alem-i-Medeniye
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