Archive for 'Culture'
What Are Russian Parents Like? Posted by Maria on Jul 6, 2017
Culture encompasses all sorts of attitudes and conventions, and one important part of culture is parenting. While everyone’s family is different, there are some common themes you may see in many Russian families. Reluctant To Praise Their Children Russian parents are as proud of their children’s achievements as anyone else. However, they are less likely…
5 Songs To Play At A Russian Wedding Posted by Maria on Jun 7, 2017
Does your country have a list of songs that get (over)played at every wedding? This is also the case in Russia. While this list will vary from wedding to wedding, here are five songs you’re likely to hear. Муслим Магомаев, “Свадьба” We have featured Soviet crooner Muslim Magomaev (Муслим Магомаев) on this blog. This Soviet-era classic is…
What Do Russians Like Doing? Posted by Maria on Apr 27, 2017
There may be some (or extensive) coverage of Russian politics, society, and economy in the media, but what do ordinary Russians like doing for fun? Does anything bring joy to their lives, or is it all drudgery, as one may think after reading the grim coverage? Naturally, every Russian would have a slightly different answer…
Russian Polls: What Transgressions Are Russians Willing To Forgive? Posted by Maria on Apr 5, 2017
A Russian public opinion company has recently conducted a poll of what infractions Russians are willing to overlook and which are unforgivable. I am going to list the top three forgivable and unforgivable behaviors — check out the ones in the middle on the study’s website. What’s Forgivable использование ненормативной лексики (swearing) Fifty four percent of all…
March 8 in Russia: Appreciation of Women or Sexist Holiday? Posted by Maria on Mar 9, 2017
Yesterday Russia and several neighboring countries celebrated International Women’s Day (Международный женский день). However, as I was reading coverage of the holiday in Russian-language media, I was reminded that the controversy surrounding the holiday remains. So why do some people think this holiday is outdated or a sham? Background The holiday started as a commemoration of the…
5 Distinct Types of Food Establishments in Russia Posted by Maria on Jan 17, 2017
I’ve noticed in the Anglo-American world, the word “restaurant” has been used to describe many kinds of establishments, from upscale eateries to fast-food joints. I would like to concentrate on the connotations of different Russian words for describing places serving food and why they are not interchangeable. Ресторан — Sit-Down Restaurant Ресторан has traditionally referred…
5 Russian Celebrities You Didn’t Know Died In 2016 Posted by Maria on Jan 11, 2017
As millions of fans across the world mourn the deaths of Price, Carrie Fisher, and David Bowie, the Russian public is also coping with the loss of some of its most beloved celebrities. Below are some of the people who passed away in 2016. Наталья Крачковская — Natalya Krachkovskaya Наталья Крачковская (Natalya Krachkovskaya) was an…