Customer Reviews

Kurdish-English Dictionary: Ferhenga Kurmanci-Inglizi

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This dictionary is a remarkable achievement, with a great many words (and variants) not found in other dictionaries of the Kurmanji dialect. It is particularly rich in words taken from peasant life, and from folklore texts. At the same time, however, it is not all that useful for reading modern Kurmanji journalistic prose, as many very common words and expressions are not included. For such use, the smaller and cheaper paperback dictionary by Baran Rizgar, published in the UK, is more practical. Also, the Chyet dictionary, with its large print, many illustrative sentences, etymologies (for some words), etc., is very large and weighs several pounds, thus making it a bit awkward to use. Most users will probably find the Rizgar dictionary preferable for everyday use, and will keep the Chyet dictionary on the desk for occasional look-up of more obscure words. Clearly a tremendous amount of work went into producing this dictionary, but I have given it only four stars because it is not, despite its massive volume, truly comprehensive. I have consulted with two other students of Kurdish (one a Kurd himself, and one a European) who had been awaiting this dictionary for some time, and both declared themselves a bit disappointed with it. Nonetheless, anyone with a serious interest in the Kurmanji dialect of Kurdish will want to have a copy of this dictionary available.

Unlike many available Kurmanji-English dictionaries, this book is written for linguists. Some, who expect a handbook may be disappointed, but who pays $70 for a handbook? Many expressions which are notably absent from this text are, in fact, Arabic, Turkish, or Farsi; though commonly used by Kurmanji in different regions, they are not standard Kurmanji, and I hardly see the absence of these terms as a weakness. This text is not a pocket dictionary; it is a substantial (including it's physical weight) volume of academic literature. I find this book to be exceptionally suited to its purpose.

Wow! This tome may be scholarly and comprehensive, but it's also as easy to peruse as a novel you would take to the beach.

This volume should on the shelf in every home that has indoor plumbing.