For the past four years,
For the past four years, Haroutiun Kurkjian’s Practical Textbook of Western Armenian has
served as the primary resource for the introductory Armenian courses at UC Berkeley. Students
of diverse backgrounds have always appreciated the book’s approach to language, whereby
grammar is integrated through textual examples and vocabulary is introduced contextually
through repetition, without relying on lengthy lists or charts for memorization. After studying
Armenian for two semesters with this textbook, students establish a strong foundation that
enables them to read and understand authentic texts as they continue their journey in Armenian.
It is no surprise that this wonderful textbook will soon have its fifth and undoubtedly successful
print run.
Kurkjian’s textbook’s progressive logic encourages
Kurkjian’s textbook’s progressive logic encourages students to learn through the model of0
“building blocks.” In diverse classrooms that accommodate heritage speakers and total
beginners, this model allows for both paced language acquisition and the building of
sociolinguistic awareness. It’s an invaluable tool in the teaching of Western Armenian to the
anglophone world.
Like many Armenian Americans of
Like many Armenian Americans of my generation, I did not learn Armenian as a child, but I
wanted to learn it as an adult. The fact that Western Armenian is considered an endangered
language prompted a sense of urgency about not only learning the language but preserving it so
that it does not vanish. H. Kurkjian’s textbook provided a means of quickly learning a difficult and
unfamiliar language in a logical, incremental manner. In this way, I believe that we are
preserving the language and, thus, our cultural heritage for future generations. I am proud to be
able to support the publication of the 5th edition of this invaluable textbook.
Kurkjian’s textbook served as an
Kurkjian’s textbook served as an essential and accessible resource for me, as a student with
little prior exposure to Armenian. It approached grammar and content in a way that felt fun and
relatable, with its clear explanations of grammatical concepts that otherwise might be frustrating,
like the dative and genitive cases. I especially remember the little stories provided by Kurkjian at
the end of each section to practice reading at an accessible level and answer content-related
questions at the end, which also provided an opportunity to practice new grammar. I knew that I
wanted familiarity with both Western and Eastern Armenian dialects, and Kurkjian’s approach to
teaching Western Armenian truly provided the bases on which to build my later understanding of
Eastern Armenian, and to appreciate the similarities and differences between the two.
This textbook creates an approachable
This textbook creates an approachable environment to learning Western Armenian. Each lesson
has purpose and is thoughtfully crafted. The audio portion is an outstanding addition that
enhances each lesson. Շնորհակալ եմ, պարոն Քիւրքճեան.
As a non-Armenian, it was
As a non-Armenian, it was extremely daunting to think about trying to learn Armenian. I didn’t
know where to start or where to find good resources! I was lucky to find the Practical Textbook of
Western Armenian and have been delighted using it to learn Armenian for the past two years.
The lesson structure and review checkpoints have helped me immensely to build up my
knowledge and see my clear progress. I could not recommend this textbook more highly!
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