A presentation of five-lingual Georgian-Mingrelian-Laz-Svan-English dictionary was held at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on April 16. TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava; Swiss Ambassador to Georgia, Guenther Baechler; Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus, Rudolf Schoch; representatives of research communities, TSU academic staff and students attended the event.
The dictionary was prepared by the Institute of Georgian Language at TSU. The idea about creating the five-lingual dictionary belongs to Professor Ramaz Kurdadze. The latter also serves as the project manager. Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus provided financial support for the dictionary.
The publication is the third scientific project implemented over the past decade with financial support of the Swiss Embassy to Georgia. Theoretical and Practical Course in Kolkhetian (Mingrelian-Svan) Languages with a small glossary was published in 2006-2007. The present dictionary is a continuation of a series of publications and it contains about 6000 lexical units of four kindred languages with English translations. Its printing is very important, because it demonstrates the proximity of Georgian tribes, on the one hand, and shows the signs of influence of non-kindred languages (Russian, Greek and Turkish) in the Kartvelian languages, on the other. Similar approach towards the issue will help not only study the vocabulary of spoken Kartvelian languages, but also intensify its use that, in turn, will prevent disappearance of indigenous Kartvelian poems.
The publication is extremely interesting as it is the first attempt to simultaneously present the vocabularies of all Kartvelian languages with English translations. The dictionary will satisfy the interests of a wide circle of consumers both in our country and abroad.
The event was organized by the Institute of Georgian Language at the TSU Faculty of Humanities.
During the event Rector Papava named the best performing student, who will be awarded Rector’s Scholarship. By decision of the Rector’s Scholarship Commission, Ana Simonishvili will receive a monthly scholarship at GEL250 from the Rector’s salary during one semester.
