Thursday, July 23, 2015

Language facts: Russian

Russian is the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe. It belongs to the family of Indo-European languages.  Russian is the native language of around 165 million people and second language of an additional 110 million people.  Startling fact: Over a quarter of the world's scientific literature is published in Russian. Nowadays, Russian is spoken primarily in Russia and Belarus, partly Ukraine and is also one of six official languages of the United Nations as well as official EU language.

Moscow skyscrapers
Source: DollarPhotoClub.com
To foreigner's ears, most of other Slavic languages sound similar to Russian, although the languages are far from being interchangeable (in fact it is even less mutually similar than Romance languages are).


Language of the red Empire


Moscow - Kremlin
Source: DollarPhotoClub.com
Due to the status of the former Soviet Union as a superpower, Russian had great political importance in the 20th century and was in fact forced as a second language to all countries under Soviet influence, including central European countries and East Germany. Russian was a mandatory subject in school, even a mandatory part of school leaving exams. After the Soviet union collapsed, public attitude towards Russian language in satellite countries went to the opposite extreme, neglecting and suppressing the language out of general education while swiftly replacing it with English due to new political trends. Until today, a lot of 50+ people in post-communist countries still read the Cyrillic script (Azbuka) and have a general understanding and basic knowledge of Russian.



Alphabet

Russian uses the Cyrillic script, which is originally derived from the Greek script, but adjusted and supplemented by some letters from so called Glagolitic alphabet, developed by the brothers Cyril and Methodius, in order to comply with Old Church Slavonic sounds. Old Church Slavonic was, at that time, considered 4th liturgical language for a brief period beside Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Although a dead speech now, its still being used in the Orthodox church.
А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж З И Й К Л М Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ъ Ы Ь Э Ю Я
а б в г д е ё ж з и й к л м н о п р с т у ф х ц ч ш щ ъ ы ь э ю я

4 comments:

  1. I highly recommend top nursing essay writing service uk , it's essential to consider a few language-related facts. Their services that employ native English speakers to ensure proper grammar, punctuation, and terminology specific to nursing. their quality services will also provide plagiarism-free work and adhere to UK academic standards.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As a fortinet distributor in dubai, I find it fascinating how Russian, with its rich history and complex grammar, opens doors to a diverse culture. Did you know that Russian is the most widely spoken Slavic language? Learning it can really enhance our global connections!


    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi there, My name is Muhammad, and I now work at Dealsexpress. I'm from Pakistan. I investigate the newest trends and industry insights in my areas of expertise, which include fashion, lifestyle, and karachi shoes. I concentrate on providing individuals with the greatest footwear and fashion options since I have a strong sense of style and quality. My love for producing captivating material that encourages contemporary lives is the foundation of my career path. My goal at Dealsexpress is to provide clients with useful information so they can make fashionable and informed decisions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi there, I am Sufiyan Durrani, a Pakistani national. Making and marketing premium scented candles that provide cosiness and style to daily life is my area of expertise at Aroma Flick Candle, where I work. With a love for scents and lifestyle goods, I work hard to use creative candle designs to produce one-of-a-kind sensory experiences. In order to bring comfort, style, and fragrance to homes and special occasions, my work combines creativity and dedication.

    ReplyDelete