Uighur alphabet

The Uighur alphabet is any of the following:

• Descendant of Sogdian alphabet, used for texts of Buddhist, Manichean and Christian contents for 700-800 years in East Turkestan. Last known manuscripts are dated the 18th century. Prototype for Mongolian and Manchu alphabets. Also called Old Uighur alphabet.

• Modified Arabic alphabet, widely used by modern Uighurs in chinese East Turkestan.

• Modified Latin alphabet, used by Uighurs in chinese East Turkestan 15-20 years until late 1980s. Still in use for Internet communications in Uighur.

• Modified Cyrillic alphabet, used by Uighurs in former Soviet Republics of Central Asia.

See also: Old Turkic alphabet