Kamila Farr, an American polyglot, has never visited Kyrgyzstan, yet she speaks Kyrgyz fluently and shows deep respect for the culture of this country. Her linguistic skills encompass over 17 languages, including Uzbek, Hazaragi, Vietnamese, Tajik, German, and Spanish.
She is a member of HYPIA (the International Association of Hyperpolyglots) and has attracted media attention as an outstanding young linguist. On Instagram, Kamila has over 33,000 followers, mostly from Central Asia, where she shares videos in Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and other languages on her page @kidpolyglot, promoting cultural exchange.
Journalist 24.kg spoke with Kamila about her language learning methods, what attracts her to Kyrgyzstan, and how she began studying the languages of Central Asia.
"Languages are a bridge that helps understand people"
“I started learning languages at the age of nine while living in Atlanta,” she shares.
According to her, the interest in languages arose from a desire to understand people more deeply.
“Knowing another language opens access to understanding culture, lifestyle, and thinking. That is my main motivation,” says Kamila.
She primarily studied languages on her own, using resources such as YouTube, Duolingo, books, and help from friends. This way, she managed to master German, Persian, Japanese, Vietnamese, and other languages.
Love for Central Asia and dreams of travel
“I started learning Kazakh as one of the first languages, and thanks to friends from Kyrgyzstan, I soon spoke Kyrgyz,” she recalls.
Kamila notes that she is attracted by the warm atmosphere and hospitality of the Kyrgyz and Kazakh peoples: “I really like how kind and sincere these people are.”
She has not yet had the chance to visit Kyrgyzstan, but she dreams of it. “I want to see Bishkek, the Osh Bazaar, Talas, and of course, Issyk-Kul. I also dream of attending a Kyrgyz wedding!” she says with a smile.
Kamila has about 30 friends from Kyrgyzstan and around 15 acquaintances in the country itself. “We often communicate via WhatsApp, and they help me not only with the language but also with understanding the mentality,” she added.
Methods of learning the Kyrgyz language
At first, Kamila confused Kazakh and Kyrgyz, but constant practice helped her overcome this.
Kamila uses simple but effective techniques:
When learning Kyrgyz, she uses the YouTube channel “Кыргыз тилин үйрөнүңүз” and reads children's books.
Attachment to Kyrgyz culture and future plans
She happily talks about her favorite Kyrgyz dishes: “Lagman, plov, manti, samsa — I like them all. I especially enjoy the song ‘Kök jyguly’ by the popular group ‘Kеңеш тобу’.”
At home, she has Kyrgyz dresses, souvenirs, and even a komuz.
Kamila's main goal is to learn one language a year and to master 100 languages by the age of 100.
"I hope interest in the Kyrgyz language will grow"
When asked why she decided to give an interview, Kamila replied: “There are very few foreigners who speak Kyrgyz. I want to inspire others by my example and help develop interest in the Kyrgyz language.”
Kamila concluded the conversation with these words: “I sincerely love the Kyrgyz people and language. I wish your country prosperity and development! Thank you!”
