Methods of teaching Chagatay vocabulary to Kazakh-speaking audience (by the example of “Baburname”)

Abstract

The study of Chagatai language monuments is crucial for Kazakh language and culture. A significant work in this language is «Baburnama», an autobiographical text by Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, who conquered Kabul and India, founding a vast empire. This 16th-century work provides valuable insights into the formation and development of the Kazakh language. This article examines teaching methods for unfamiliar words from «Baburnama» in the context of Kazakh language. By studying obsolete and borrowed words, students expand their vocabulary and enhance linguistic competence. A research experiment with 28 students evaluated methods such as contextual analysis, dictionary use, and visual aids to determine the effectiveness of these approaches in understanding complex words. The findings highlight that, alongside dictionaries, contextual analysis and identifying Kazakh equivalents are highly effective for interpreting unfamiliar vocabulary. Combining these methods fosters deeper comprehension of the text and improves students’ language skills. This study shows the importance of combining contextual analysis methods and dictionary usage in teaching Baburnama vocabulary.