Archive for 'language'
Russian Summer Wardrobe: Get Your Speedo Ready! Posted by Jenya on May 20, 2015
Summer is upon us and with it the desire to finally shed multiple layers of clothing and feel the warmth of the Sun on our skin. Of course, if you live in Florida, California or some other place that is just as warm, you probably don’t get quite as excited. But what if you live…
Ready, Set, Watch! Russian TV Shows that Is Posted by Jenya on May 6, 2015
If you are really serious about learning Russian, you have to immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. How can you do that if you are not planning a six month trip to Russia? Aside from befriending a few Russian expats, YouTube can be the next best thing in terms of language immersion…
Learning Russian After English Posted by Maria on May 4, 2015
We are continuing last week’s discussion of how learning a different second language first may have helped — or impeded — you in learning Russian. Since English is the most commonly studied foreign language, it’s only natural we discuss it next. I would guess for speakers of other European languages Russian may seem infinitely more…
Learning Russian After Spanish Posted by Maria on Apr 27, 2015
I’ve often heard that after learning one foreign language every additional language becomes progressively easier. I suppose there may be truth to it in that you internalize certain principles common to many languages and develop good study and research habits. However, your first foreign language can also mislead you in your efforts to learn…
These Six English Loanwords Don’t Mean What You Think in Russian Posted by Jenya on Apr 22, 2015
The fact that loan words are present in nearly every language is well-known to most people. It is fairly clear that Russian language has been affected by this practice more than some other languages. Whether certain rulers of the past, certain technologies of the present, or globalization are to blame is a topic of…
Ways to Be Frustrated in Russian Posted by Maria on Mar 30, 2015
You might have thought from the title that this post is a continuation of our pet peeves discussion. However, I would actually like to talk about the ways annoying behavio(u)r is described in colloquial Russian. Most of these words have a different primary meaning but are used colloquially in unexpected ways. 1. Па́рить Па́рить comes…
Beyond ты and вы — formality in Russian Posted by Maria on Mar 12, 2015
One of the first things you learn in Russian is that there are two ways of addressing a person depending on your relationship with them. Ты is reserved for friends, family, and young children. Вы is the polite form of address to strangers, older people, officials, and anyone you are interacting with in a formal…