دانلود کتاب A Comprehensive Introduction to the Mari Language

The publication of the two volumes of Марийский язык для всех in 1990 and 1991 heralded the beginning of a new era for all those interested in the Mari language and culture who before that time had met with the seemingly insurmountable challenge posed by the lack of adequate materials. For the first time there was finally a manual that dealt with the modern literary language in depth, was clearly structured and well thought out, and in addition was enjoyable to use. Although the book was written in Russian and intended solely for Russian speakers, it soon found its way across the borders and became the standard work for Mari learners in the West as well.Now, twenty years later, the book has by no means outlived its usefulness, and interest in the Mari language, culture, literature, and religion has in no way diminished, but, on the contrary, has increased. It was felt necessary, however, to adapt the book to meet present-day needs. This meant updating the texts to reflect recent changes in Mari society, modernizing the orthography and the language used, and altering the book for the purposes of the many Mari learners who do not have access to a Mari teacher, in other words making it fully suitable for self-learners. In the interests of universality two important changes were made: 1) The book was rewritten in English rather than in Russian, and 2) it will be made available worldwide on the Internet, rather than being published in a traditional printed format.