Tag Archives: Russian cartoons
Songs from Russian Cartoons: Grammar Clinic Posted by Maria on Mar 23, 2015
Many a student of Russian learned from the songs in Soviet cartoons. These cartoons are widely-known classics, some of which, like Cheburashka, have developed a cult following abroad. However, all too often learners will recogniz/se the cartoon and hum the tune but won’t know the lyrics or what they mean. Why don’t we take this opportunity to…
Who is Cheburashka and How Can He Help You? Posted by Jenya on Oct 7, 2014
Being that most of you are devoting your precious time and energy toward learning to speak Russian, I decided to introduce you to a new tool that may help you, as well as entertain you at the same time. This tool is called Cheburashka. What is Cheburashka you ask? Cheburashka is a fictional character created…
My Connection to Yuri Gagarin, The First Man in Space, and Other Fun Facts About Your New Russian Blogger Jenya Posted by Jenya on Feb 4, 2014
1. Yuri Gagarin and I are connected! My связь (connection) to Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, did not become apparent to me until I was 27 years old. Yuri Gagarin was the first Russian космонавт (cosmonaut). Gagarin received his training and met his future жена (wife) in the city of Orenburg. Coincidentally, that…
Russia – the Land of the Crocodiles Posted by yelena on Jul 8, 2013
You might already know that Россия – родина слонов (Russia is the home of elephants). But did you know that крокодилы (crocodiles) are also very popular in Russia? Don’t believe me? Back in 1582 Russian летописцы (chroniclers) mentioned an appearance of crocodiles near the city of Pskov. But that’s all ancient history. It’s time to…
Doing Business по-русски Posted by yelena on Sep 14, 2012
It’s the end of the week, so let’s do something fun. How about watching cartoons? Some time ago I found a cartoon on YouTube called Бизнес по-русски (Russian-style Business). Of all the episodes I could find, I liked Труба (Pipe) one the most. The story is of обычный россиянин (an ordinary Russian) who comes up…
Примета такая есть – There is an Omen Like That Posted by yelena on Apr 16, 2012
I was so busy last week that I completely forgot about April 13. Тринадцатое апреля (April 13) this year fell on пятница (Friday). Since the next one will be в июле (in July), let’s get ready and talk a bit about Russian суеверия (superstitions). You might’ve noticed that the –верие part in the word суеверие…
Academicians, Pushkin, and the Steamship Posted by yelena on Feb 17, 2011
As promised, here’s the second and final post that provides some linguistic and cultural background for appreciation of one of the masterpieces of Soviet animation, Winter in Prostokvashino. «фломастер» – You might recognize the brand name Flo-Master. If you are teaching (or studying) a marketing course, this is a perfect example of brand dilution or…