The classification of handwriting features of the Kazakh language written in Latin script

Abstract

In 2017, the Republic of Kazakhstan began the phased transition of its alphabet from Cyrillic to Latin script. This transition has presented significant challenges to Kazakhstani document examiners, who have yet to develop appropriate methodologies for the analysis of handwriting samples written in the Kazakh language using Latin letters. This study aims to identify distinguishing macro and micro features of letters within Kazakh writing samples produced using the Latin alphabet and determine their frequencies of occurrence and discriminating power indices. Micro features were examined using the four most frequently appearing letters: “a”, “y”, “e” and “n”. A comparative analysis of tested Latin letters with those of a similar configuration in Cyrillic demonstrated differences in the number of distinguishing features, as well as in the frequency of occurrence and discriminating power indices of similar features. These results show that separate statistical bases should be used for Latin and Cyrillic letters when analysing handwriting samples based on the frequencies of occurrence of micro and macro writing features.

Key points

• The Republic of Kazakhstan is currently moving from the use of a Cyrillic alphabet to a Latin one.

• Kazakhstani document examiners are faced with new difficulties in the identification of handwriting samples based on Latin script.

• In this article, 100 Kazakh-language handwriting samples prepared using Latin letters were obtained from Kazakh nationals and analysed.

• Distinguishing macro and micro features within these samples were identified and their frequencies of occurrence and discriminating power indices were calculated.

• Results from this study show that features of Latin letters should be analysed using a separate statistical base from that used for Cyrillic.

Keywords:

• Forensic sciences
• handwriting examination
• Kazakh
• Latin
• frequency occurrence
• discriminating power
• macro features
• micro features

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Kazakhstan Centre for Internal Programmes for funding this work as part of the Bolashaq International Scholarship Scheme, as well as the Kazakhstan Ministry of Justice for their continued support. Thanks are also given to John Welch for his advice during the preparation of this manuscript.

Authors’ contributions

Akyldana Galymzhanova conceived of the study, carried out the analysis of handwriting samples and drafted the manuscript. James Gooch and Nunzianda Frascione coordinated the study and drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the final text and approved it.

Compliance with ethical standards

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors. Handwriting samples from study participants were obtained upon written informed consent.

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Kazakhstan Centre for International Programmes through the Bolashaq International Scholarship Scheme.