An online English – Kazakh dictionary is now operating on the www.eng-kaz.kz platform and is free to use, according to a recent report provided by the Diplomatic Bulletin. This electronic dictionary is considered by its creators to be a scientific project carried out in order to establish the English-Kazakh language channel as a direct link between the Kazakh language information space and the English speaking world.
The dictionary is based on the classic Oxford Dictionary. For example, the online dictionary shows several examples of how to use a word and includes idioms and phrasal verbs, which is similar to how the Oxford model presents entries. The main objective of this model is not only to find the equivalent of the word in the Kazakh language, but also to take into consideration the stylistics and logic of the Kazakh language while translating. It should be also noted that this dictionary hopes to contribute to a wider and more accurate understanding of the Kazakh equivalents of English words.
The dictionary’s authors hope that the project will be interesting and useful for both Kazakh and foreign linguists and philologists.
This is not the first step that has been undertaken in order to promote the Kazakh language in the country. A lot of Kazakh language courses are offered for people of different ages and language proficiency levels and numerous grammar and teaching books have been published recently. One of those is “Situational Kazakh,” written by Kanat Tasibekov, who presented his book on Jan. 23 in Astana.
The author has already published two books. The publications contain about 1,000 common Kazakh phrases people usually use in their daily life. There are also plans to publish the next edition that will be in the form of a dictionary.
“I published 1,000 copies of my book and then handed them to bookstores in every city in Kazakhstan. I have many relatives and friends in every town, so it wasn’t difficult to do. Soon after, I began to get good reviews, also from Murat Auezov and Olzhas Suleimenov, who appraised my work very highly. Kazakh writer Gerold Belger wrote even a laudatory review. And as I can see that people are buying these books, I can say that people want to learn the language” said Tasibekov.
According to the author, “Situational Kazakh” can be used as a reference book. The writer said that he used to review the publication by himself from time to time in order to refresh some phrases in his mind, as the success of learning a language depends on motivation and interest. Only then it is possible to master a language and commonly use it, he believes.
