The Life and works of Kazakh scholar Ahmet Baytursunoğlu

iiABSTRACTTHE LIFE AND WORKS OF KAZAKH SCHOLAR AHMETBAYTURSUNOĞLUALİBEKİROĞLU, SertanM.A. Thesis, Department of Turkish Language and LiteratureSupervisor: Doç. Dr. Vahit TürkAugust 2005, 136 pagesAhmet Baytursunoğlu is one of the most prominent figures who standed outas a Kazakh in early 20th century. He took an important part on the sovereignty ofKazakhes from Russian oppression and being a modern country that values cultureand civilisation. He appreciated the importance of education to reach his ultimategoal and devoted himself to the education. He worked as a teacher for many yearsand he wrote essential school books. He also compiled and published the pieces ofKazakh folklore and in this way he worked on keeping and transferring the culture tonew generations. He pioneered the works of Kazakh language and literature. Themost signifacant one of these particular works was the Kazakh alphabet in Arabicletters. He served for Kazakh dialect to be a literary language by itself. His otherimportant work was to provide the Kazakh language with the counterparts of foreignterms. He also worked as a reductor in Kazakh Journal which impacted remarkablyon Kazakh social and political life. He was an important figure of the firstindependent Kazakh party, Alaş and of Alaş Orda Government. Baytursunoğlustrived a great deal to serve all needs of Kazakh public under any condition and withthis purpose, he joined Bolşevik party and became the first minister of the ministeryof education.Key words : Kazakh Turkish, Kazakh Newspaper, Alaş