Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Books: Kyrgyz language and Kyrgyzstan

Books in English

Kyrgyz Language Course Book
Peace Corps, Kyrgyz Republic, 2004.
This textbook has been recommended by many Kyrgyz language learners. I use it in my studies as well. The 1997 edition of this textbook can be downloaded via the ERIC Database.

Kirghiz Language Competencies for Peace Corps Volunteers in Kirghizstan.
This textbook is designed for use by Peace Corps volunteers learning Kirghiz in preparation for serving in Kirghizstan. It takes a competency-based approach to language learning, focusing on specific tasks the learner will need to accomplish through language.
(For a complete description and a downloadable version of this book please check the ERIC database).

Kirghiz Manual (Uralic and Altaic Series vol. 33)
by Raymond Hebert
A reference grammar intended for those wanting to learn how to read modern Kyrgyz (Kirghiz).

A Kirghiz Reader (Indiana University Uralic and Altaic Series, V. 154)
This reader contains a selection of materials, which range in time from the pre-literary language to contemporary items from newspapers. It includes examples taken from the literary language under Soviet rule and as Kyrgyz (Kirghiz) is used in the West and in China. The book is designed to present the reader with an understanding of both the variety of materials available in Kyrgyz and with the internal structure of the language.

Books in Russian

Кыргыз тилин үйрөнөбүз. Мы изучаем кыргызский язык
Ч.К. Дыйканова, Л.С. Сулайманова, Э.Т. Толокова.
Бишкек: Фонд "Сорос-Кыргызстан", 1997. -280 с.: цв.ил.
A great feature of this colorful Kyrgyz textbook published by Soros-Kyrgyzstan is that it comes with a CD.

Изучаем кыргызский язык. Кыргыз тилин үйрөнөбүз
Б. Касымова, К. Токтоналиев, А. Карыбаев.
Фрунзе: Мектеп, 1991. -222 с.
Not to be confused with the book published by Soros Foundation (see above).

Краткий самоучитель киргизского языка
Д.И. Исаев, В.Н. Шнейдман.
Фрунзе: Мектеп, 1984. -144 с.
I would not recommend this book because the vocabulary used in the lessons is strongly influenced by Russian. I like the way they explain Kyrgyz grammar though.

About Kyrgyzstan

Lonely Planet Central Asia
Probably the most popular guide to Central Asia.

Kyrgyz Republic (Odyssey Illustrated Guide)

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Theose 2 books are not available :( They are no longer there :(

23:44

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A pure Kyrgyz langauge can be learned right here www.geocities.com/kutbilim

01:28

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you do a search using "kyrgyz language" in the ERIC Database, two books by the Peace Corp shows up.

16:24

 
Blogger Unknown said...

The 1997 edition of this textbook can be downloaded via the ERIC Database

22:12

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A good source is baylanguagebooks.co.uk for Kyrgyz

11:06

 
Blogger MK said...

Just in case any of you are unable to locate the Peace Corps textbook through ERIC, you may also use the following link, from the uz-translations.net website.

Please keep in mind that the textbook apparently contains some outdated words and phrases (one thing that comes to mind is "момпосуй" for "candy", which few people tend to use nowadays). This was brought to my attention by some native speakers, who pointed out that Peace Corps volunteers "speak good Kyrgyz, but they sometimes use words that no longer exist".

Other than that, it is a very useful textbook.

Disclaimer: The author of this blog is not affiliated with uz-translations.net or any of its projects, nor does she necessarily support statements or values promulgated by that website's owners.
Just thought I would point this out. :)

[Edit: Changed misspelled URLs]

00:10

 

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