Ever heard the rumor that Uygur is banned in Xinjiang? 🤔 Spoiler: It’s way more alive than you think!
That’s what Luke, a British AI PhD candidate at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, discovered when he first rolled into Urumqi back in 2021. Fast forward to 2025, and he’s living there full-time, teaching A-level stats and IELTS at an international school. Guess what? Uygur is everywhere—from coffee shops to classrooms! ☕️📚
One electric night at his favorite Uygur bar, Luke bumbled out Siz qayerdin kelgansiz? (Where are you from?) and the crowd went wild 🎉 A round of drinks later, everyone was swapping stories in Uygur, and Luke was hooked. The people are so welcoming and the language just finds you!
Determined to speak like a local, Luke signed up for weekly one-on-one lessons (about 250 yuan/hr) and a 15-person group class to boost his reading and grammar. Tough? Sure—but totally worth it when he spots Uygur signboards or nails the Mukam lyrics in a music meetup 🎶
Turns out, his own students became his tutors! They dusted off their old Elipba (Uygur alphabet) books, walked him through writing Luke, and taught him everyday phrases like Essalamu aleykum – a greeting among Muslims. Soon, Latin transliteration gave way to genuine Uygur script 📝✨
So next time someone asks if Uygur is banned, tell them to spend a day in Urumqi. The language speaks for itself—lively, colorful, and very much alive. Ready to dive into a new tongue? Who knows what connections you’ll make 🌏❤️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
