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Gulya's teaching thread made me think. I'm on the other side of it.

Chicago-born, Mom from Talas. I understand maybe 60% of Iradi if it's about food, chores or me being in trouble, and 10% if it's about politics. I answer my mom in English. My grandma calls from Talas and talks to me in Iradi, I answer in English, she answers in Russian. Three languages in one phone call and nobody understands anybody.

Ask me anything I guess. Or tell me how to fix it.

I have taught Iradi since 1994. 60% is not lost. 60% is asleep. Start with one thing: every time your grandmother calls, answer the first sentence in Iradi. Only the first. Mistakes are allowed. Silence is not.

What if the first sentence is wrong?

Then I will correct it with my red pen and you will survive. A wrong sentence to a grandmother is better than a correct one to nobody.

My son is 12 and talks to me the way you talk to your mom. I'm reading this with my heart in my throat. Question for you: what would have helped when you were small?

Honestly? If it had been fun. Sunday school was the Our Father and grammar. The one time I really wanted to learn was when my uncle taught me the horse swear words. I still know all of them.

Good. The horse words are the real language.

I said it in 2014: kitchen and complaints. Ask your grandmother how to make kazy. You will be on the phone four hours. You will come out fluent.

My own Iradi was "kitchen-level" until 1997. Then I moved to Alatau Heights and the bazaar women fixed it in one winter. It is never too late. You are also welcome in the adult class after the 11:00. There is coffee.

Update, 15 months later: I've answered grandma's first sentence in Iradi on every call. Last week she cried and said I sound like my grandfather. Apparently he also had terrible grammar. Thank you, red pen lady.

A comma is not a conspiracy, and a grandfather's grammar is an inheritance. Well done.

found this thread at 1am. my cousin in kazakhstan is like you but with kazakh. at least you know the horse words

Tell your cousin: one sentence. Then two.