Bulgun Mankirova, Sanal Badmaev, A Kalmyk Language Club in Moscow

Abstract

The Club of the Kalmyk Language (Khal’mg kelnya klub) was founded in Moscow in 2013. In the first year the number of attendees, including children and grown-ups, was around 40. Free of charge, the classes were first held at a local Kalmyk restaurant, and later came to be organized at the Office of the Representative of Kalmykia in Moscow. Many students who start a course drop out towards the end of the year. Sanal is the teacher of Kalmyk this year. The club has its library of audio recordings and books. Sanal says that the Kalmyk language should be spoken in the family environment on a daily basis. Bulgun points out that books written in Kalmyk often have grammatical mistakes that people learn and spread further through the Internet.