Bibliographia Kurdica is a searchable, open-access database of linguistic literature with the aim to provide a comprehensive bibliography of Kurdish linguistics. It is designed to be usable and expandable by scholars, researchers, and language enthusiasts of all levels.
How it came to be
The seeds of Bibliographia Kurdica were sown during a casual yet insightful gathering in September 2022. Picture a group of linguists post-conference sharing thoughts and sips of coffee in a cozy café in Frankfurt. Soon enough, a common realization emerged: the landscape of Kurdish linguistics lacked a central knowledge repository, a one-stop reference encompassing the vast array of works dedicated to understanding the nuances and intricacies of the Kurdish languages and their linguistics.
Anyone who conducts research on Kurdish languages is familiar with the challenges. There is limited access to archives, databases, publications, and journals that specialize in Kurdish studies. The literature is often scattered across multiple sources in a variety of languages. Hence, Bibliographia Kurdica came into being – a virtual crossroads designed to bridge the gaps that often fragment the field. The site took shape as a response, establishing a digital repository where scholars, students, and anyone driven by curiosity could come together to explore, discover, and enrich their understanding.
Our aim
Open-access
Bibliographia Kurdica aims to be a comprehensive online source. It is a publicly available website that contains the relevant metadata for any publication in Kurdish linguistics. It will be searchable and readable by any visitor.
Decentral
Contrary to traditional
bibliographies, this is a community project. Entries are not submitted by a central source, but by any user who wants to upload a reference. To guarantee accuracy, every submission will be reviewed before becoming public.
Up to date
The database is constantly updated with newest releases in Kurdish linguistics. However, the bibliography includes everything from classic texts to the latest research papers.
Not a repository
Bibliographia Kurdica is not a repository for publications, i.e., it will only contain references to publications, but no actual files to the publications (e.g., PDFs, e-books etc.)
It’s a community effort!
Bibliographia Kurdica is a small voluntary project and as such, its scope is naturally limited. It draws its vitality from the collective efforts of the contributors. It is still a work in progress, evolving with each contribution. As with any ambitious project, there may be occasional hiccups – features yet to be implemented or functions needing fine-tuning. If you stumble upon any unfinished feature, your patience is deeply appreciated. Constructive feedback is a cornerstone of growth and warmly welcome (you can use our contact form)!
If you feel inclined to support this endeavor further, consider contributing to the maintenance costs by buying a virtual çay (tea) through our PayPal donation button.
Roadmap
Currently, Bibliographia Kurdica is designed only for works in the fields of linguistics and language studies. We hope to expand the database to all Kurdish related topics in the future. For the time being, the focus will rest on improving and expanding the site and its functionality.
Here are some upcoming features:
- Implementing an Advanced Search function
- Exporting individual citation (e.g., BibTex)
- Editing individual entries
What we have achieved so far
The idea
Planning
Creating the concept and action plan for the site.
Creating the database
Execution
Building the logic for the database, coding the plugin, and creating the first version of the website.
Making the site publicly available
Go Live
Presenting the MVP at the 6th International Conference on Kurdish Linguistics (ICKL-6) in Frankfurt a.M.