Abstract
Nation-building is not a one-day process and must be planned for the medium and long term. In nation-building, there are several aspects on which it is based, and the language used is one of the main ones. Countries were created on the principles of language, culture, and territorial affiliation. Therefore, the further formation of the nation for Kazakhstan is a very pressing issue today. This article examines the issue of nation-building in Kazakhstan using such a key tool as language. Thus, the article examines the research question: is the Kazakh language capable of becoming a full-fledged basis for building a nation in Kazakhstan today? The study used the results of a sociological and expert survey, which were conducted as part of the order of the Language Policy Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2023. The survey showed the level of proficiency and use of the Kazakh language among the Kazakh population, broken down by regions and ethnic groups. An expert survey identified the reasons for the weak distribution and use of the Kazakh language, and expert recommendations were provided. All these data were summarized and analysed in this article.