Journalists in the central Asian of Tajikistan will now be fined for using ‘incomprehensible’ or difficult vocabulary in their reports. Wonder what would have happened if our English newspaper and website scribes…oh…writers were in that country.
According to reports, Tajik government will start levying fines from journalists who are caught using difficult words in their reports.
“There are cases when journalists use as many as 10 words in one day that the simple reader, viewer or listener cannot comprehend,” The Guardian reported Gavhar Sharifzoda, the head of state language committee.
“This grossly violates the norms of state language,” the official added.
This state action comes in the wake of their efforts to promote Tajik language. The fact that Tajik language is also being influenced by the encroachment of Farsi and Dari vocabulary which are spoken in Iran and neighbouring Afghanistan respectively has prompted the government to take the stand.
Reportedly the ban on ‘incomprehensible’ words is basically meant for the imported Farsi words.
The Tajik government has been trying to to save the local language from being polluted by other languages. Ending the use of Russian for any official purpose, the country’s veteran president Emomali Rahmon had made Tajik the sole language in 2009.
