Georgian Speech Culture Department

Georgian speech culture department was founded in 1953 at the Institute of Linguistics in the form of the department of the Georgian literary language standards. In 1966 it was changed as a department of the Georgian speech culture. This department was founded as a working base for the permanent state decisive commission of the Georgian literary language norms (the commission was founded in 1953).

The projects of the norms prepared by this department were discussed by the institute board which in the case of approving presented them to the state commission for adopting. The norms approved by the state commission were legality and were compulsory for all users of literary Georgian.
In 1953-1982 Ivane Gigineishvili headed the department, in 1982-2006 – Shukia Apridonidze, at the end of 2006 Tamar Vashakidze was elected as head of the department on the basis of a competition.
The following collaborators worked at the department in different times: N. Abesadze, L. Lezhava, G. Shalamberidze, K.Gagua, T. Gverdtsiteli, T. Zurabishvili, V. Kalandadze, Ts. Kaladze, M. Kereselidze, V. Magradze, A. Papidze, M. Tabidze, M. Shalamberidze, M. Shinjiashvili, N. Tskitishvili, N. Jorbenadze.

Iv. Gigineishvili prepared and in 1970 was published (under his editorship) “Norms of the Modern Georgian literary language”, in which the standards approved by the state commission were entered.

Later on these proved standards were published in special reports, which were basis for the 2nd periodical collection of norms.
Establishing of the main norms of the Georgian literary language was assisted by publishing orthographic dictionary of Georgian (1968) compiled by V. Topuria and Iv. Gigineishvili, which was preceded by three publications of the school orthographic dictionary (1941, 1946, 1949). In 1998 a new supplement and corrected edition was published.

Collection “Problems of Georgian speech culture” in issue was published by the department. Elaborating of projects of norms on the basis of the sources published in it was carried out. 12 books of this collection were published.

The department collaborated with scientific editorial staff of the Georgian encyclopedia. A group of transcription was founded under Iv. Gigineishvili’s leadership. The group elaborated spelling of the proper names entered in the encyclopedia, rules of Georgian translation of foreign names. On the basis of this material orthographic dictionaries were published:
1.Orthographic dictionary of Greek and Roman names (compiled by Kona Gigineishvili), 1985; 2.Orthographic dictionary of the geographic names of the Georgian SSR (editor: Ivane Gigineishvili and others), 1986;
3. Orthographic Dictionary of Geographic Names of the USSR (under the editorship of Sh. Apridonidze and T. Zurabishvili), 1987;
4. Orthographic Dictionary of the Geographic Names of the Foreign Countries (edit. Al.Kobakhidze, M.Chabashvili), 1989;
5. Orthographic Dictionary of the Foreign Names (edit. Al.Kobakhidze, M.Chabashvili), 1989.

Collaborators of the department regularly published scientific methodical reports in a journal “Georgian Language and Literature in School”, they collaborated with the cabinet of Georgian “Treasure of Georgian” at the republic palace of school-children and youth. They edited different text-books.

The department held lecture-seminars at which press-material was discussed and recommendations were elaborated. The department carries out consultative work with different institutions and organizations. Through collaborating with some department of the institute recommendations on literary Georgian translation of scientific or technical terms, business papers, patterns are being elaborated. Problems of functional stylistics are the sphere of permanent work of the department (scientific literary language, viz. business literary language, language of fiction).

Collaborators of the department carry out pedagogical activity at different high and secondary schools, they take part in local and international scientific conferences.
During the years collaborators of the department created noteworthy scientific works.

In 2009 “Orthographic-stylistic Dictionary of a Journalist” was published. “Dictionary of Paronyms” and the 13th volume of “Questions of Georgian Word Culture” have been prepared for publishing.
The second volume of the “Orthographic-stylistic Dictionary of a Journalist” is being prepared for edition.
Georgian Speech culture department carries out its work in theoretical and practical directions:
1.Theoretical research means the analysis of contemporary linguistic situation.
For example:
1.Language of mass media and norm recommendations;
2.Language of text-books and norm recommendations;
3.Specialized meta-languages and norm recommendations;
4.Evaluation of orthographic variants and problems of establishing of orthographic norms;
5.Questions of transcription and transliteration in the situation of frequent linguistic contacts;
6.The question of borrowing;
7.Questions of stylistics;
8.Elaboration of such theoretical questions as elision and syncope of newly formed lexical units, plural number, spelling of proper names (penetrated from foreign languages), standardization of official documents, setting of a translated information into Georgian, political terminology, forensic language, business language, language etiquette and consideration and standardization of other problems.
9.Carrying on of working on the questions of history of normalization of the Georgian language etc.

From the practical point of view theoretical research is a basis of significant dictionaries and directories, which will timely and properly satisfy social requirements of language norms and will assist the unification of the said norms through which the rich traditions of studying and functioning of the Georgian literary language will be continued.
II. Practical work
1.Preparation of an orthographic dictionary;
2.Preparation of electronic and print versions of permanently edited orthographic dictionary;
3.Preparation of a dictionary of abbreviations;
4.Preparation of a new orthographic dictionary of proper names;
5.Preparation of a dictionary of paronyms;
6.Preparation of an orthographic dictionary of syntagmas (like the seventh volume of Questions of Georgian speech culture);
7.Starting of linguistic expertise service (linguistic problems and conflicts occurred in journalistic, criminalistic and legislative spheres are meant here) and preparing of linguistic experts;
8.Working on the following volumes of Questions of Georgian speech culture etc.;
9.Organizing of summer school for foreigners;

In 2009 doctor of philological sciences, professor Tamar Vashakidze was elected as head of the department.
In October, 2009, the following scientific workers filled the scientific posts:

A chief scientific worker:
Shukria Apridonidze

Senior scientific worker:
Vakhtang Maghradze