| Brief Description: | There is a critical need today for English speakers fluent in Urdu. The U.S. government has even solicited for them through the national media, and demand, by all accounts, still far outpaces supply. Spoken by over 160 million people worldwide, Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and one of the twenty-four official languages of India, both centers of increasing international and political interest. It is also heard in border regions of Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, as well as in the Pakistani communities in England and the U.S. For those with literary interests, Urdu has been the preeminent language of poetry in South Asia for the past two centuries, best showcased in the works of Mirza Ghalib, Mir Babar Ali Anis, and Nobel Prize nominee Faiz Ahmed Faiz. This coursbook, designed for both classroom use and self-study, is an ideal introduction to this increasingly prominent language. Beginning with a primer on the language's Arabic-derived script, the text provides the basic of Urdu communication through dialogues, grammar lessons, and basic vocabulary. The audio CDs feature the dialogue and vocabulary sections presented by native speakers, and are an invaluable aid to learning the language as spoken. |
