DEBATES ON ORTHOGRAPHY IN URDU
Abstract:
Effective writing is grounded in the harmonious integration of correct spelling, coherent expression, well-structured syntax, and the judicious use of punctuation, all of which function as fundamental elements of linguistic refinement and clarity. Among these components, orthography holds particular importance, as it ensures uniformity, precision, and semantic transparency in written communication. A comprehensive understanding of spelling conventions is therefore essential, enabling writers to employ them accurately in practice and to avoid lexical inconsistency and ambiguity. Within this framework, the importance of Urdu orthography is universally acknowledged. The body of scholarly works dedicated to Urdu spelling serves as a crucial source of guidance and intellectual support, offering standardized principles and reinforcing disciplined writing practices. Collectively, these works contribute not only to linguistic correctness but also to the aesthetic quality, communicative effectiveness, and scholarly credibility of Urdu prose.
Keywords:
Syntactic Structure, Ornamental Elements of Expression, Lexical Incongruity, Script, Graphical/Formal Identity, Regulated Principles, Cultural Values, Stable Foundation
Romanized References:
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- Nūr al‑Ḥasan Nayyar (marḥūm), Mawlawī, Nūr al‑Lughāt, Islamabad: National Book Foundation, 3rd ed., 2006, p. 384.
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- Rashīd Ḥasan Khān, Urdu Imlā, Lahore: Majlis Taraqqī‑e Adab, Club Road, May 2007, p. 21.
- ibid., p. 22.
- Rashīd Ḥasan Khān, ‘Ibārat Kaise Likheṅ, Lahore: Rābi‘ah Book House, Urdu Bāzār, n.d., p. 12.
- Ghulām Muṣṭafā Khān, Dr., Jāmi‘ al‑Qawā‘id (Ḥiṣṣah Naḥw), Islamabad: Urdu Science Board, 2nd ed., 2003, p. 167.
- ibid., p. 167.