The Russian Language in the Multicultural Space of Kazakhstan: State Policy and Public Mood

The article examines issues associated with the functioning of the Russian language in Kazakhstan. Considering the fact that this country is multinational, the issue of intercultural communication is always relevant. There is a need to address intercultural communication as part of the development of state language policy. It is noted that there are four stages in the development of language policy in Kazakhstan. Having analysed the stages of language policy formation, the author concludes that the Russian language in Kazakhstan has held a different position depending on the geopolitical, social, economic, migration and demographic conditions prevailing in Kazakhstan. The current linguistic and cultural situation is characterised by the development of Kazakh-Russian bilingualism, which manifests itself in various spheres of communication. The introduction of multilingual education in national schools makes it possible to draw certain conclusions and identify the positive and negative consequences of the project. The author argues that a language policy meant to protect the interests of speakers of different languages living in a multi-ethnic state may help solve linguistic contradictions.