yozuvlar

Yozuvlar is the Uzbek term for writ ings or texts. The singular yozuv denotes the act or product of writing, while yozuvlar refers to a collection of such writings. In everyday language and in scholarship, yozuvlar can mean literary works, official records, manuscripts, inscriptions, and any other material produced in writing.

Etymology: Yozuv originates from the verb yozmoq “to write”; the noun yozuv means writing, and yozuvlar is its plural. The root yoz- is common in Turkic languages and appears in related words across Central Asia.

In Uzbek usage, yozuvlar can be grouped by genre (adabiy yozuvlar, ilmiy yozuvlar, dini yozuvlar), by historical period (manuscripts in Arabic script, texts in Latin script, texts in Cyrillic script) and by purpose (official records, legal documents, literature). The term is regularly found in dictionaries, literary criticism, and archival references as a broad category for written material.

History and orthography: Uzbek writing has used several scripts. Arabic script was standard in medieval and early modern periods. A Latin-based alphabet was introduced in 1928, then replaced by Cyrillic in the Soviet era from the 1940s onward. Following independence in the early 1990s, Uzbekistan reoriented toward a Latin-based system, though the Cyrillic script remained in use for some time and transitional forms continue to appear in various contexts.

This term is a neutral, general reference in lexicography and cultural studies to the corpus of written material. It encompasses printed books, manuscripts, letters, and archival documents, reflecting the broad scope of written culture in Uzbek-speaking regions.