When I used to think of Russia earlier, I used to think of cold weather, beautiful architecture and great writers. Today, I think of it in much more vivid terms. Orenburg shawls. Imperial porcelain. Valenki and samovars. Podstakanniks. Ah! The list is too long.
I was facing a roadblock in studying my grammar textbook. The first (and really long!) chapter was all about pronunciation and I was spending mindless hours poring over details I don’t even remember. It was hard. I get that I should know what palatalisation is before beginning with Russian grammar but guess what, I don’t.
Therefore, I went ahead and began with the next chapter it offered. The humble ‘Noun’ that wasn’t quite hospitable but we plan to mend things up next week. For explaining every little rule, there are like fifteen new words and my mind fights a battle with itself whether I should prioritise learning the word or the rule first. I know the right answer but the heart wants what the heart wants or in this case, the head. I mean, here’s an example:
As of now, I am learning how to use prefixes and suffixes to modify nouns and/or create new words. My speed of reading Russian script is pretty slow, as I look at words and slowly pronounce them, syllable by syllable. Yet again, ‘Culture Shock! Russia’ came to my rescue in my moments of despair with this amazing quote by Ivan Turgenev:
โIn these days of doubt, in these days of painful brooding over the fate of my country, thou alone art my rod and my staff, O great, mighty, true and free Russian language! If it were not for thee, how could one keep from despairing at the sight of what is going on at home? But it is inconceivable that such a language should not belong to a great people.โ
Hope I can ever move from loving this quote to actually relating to it soon enough. Till then, saying ‘Bye bye’ to you all in Russian should suffice.ย ะฟะพะบะฐ ะฟะพะบะฐ!
Week 9-10 Update
Why am I learning Russian?
Hats off to you ……… I am so bad at languages
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I am struggling too, trust me ๐ ๐
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To struggle with it also you need passion ….so hats off for that…….and all the best …..hope you sail through smoothly
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Thank you for your wishes, Sakshi. I hope so too โค
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Awesome! I learned a word in Russian today! Thank you. While in college I made the top 2% in Spanish gaining me a place in the National Honor Society. I still have the pen stored away in my jewelry box. I’ve gone from fluent to barely keeping a conversation with the crew who does our lawn service. Like they say, “You’ll lose it if you don’t use it.” I hope you are smarter than I was and continue to use your new language with pride.
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Thank you for your wishes, Phyllis. I hope I get there soon, just as I wish you gain your fluency back soon enough ๐ ๐
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All credit to you for trying. ๐น
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Thanks Elaine. I hope I get through all of it โค
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You go girl. Great job
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Thank you ๐
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๐๐ธ
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You are doing wonderful job Neha!! Happy friendship day dear! ๐ค
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Thanks a lot, Kranti. Happy Friendship Day to you too โค
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Thank you dear! ๐ค
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โค โค
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Wonderful Turgenev quote, one of my favourite authors โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
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Thank you, Elisabeth! โค โค
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Your patience and dedication is commendable ๐
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Thank you, Abhinav. So kind of you to say ๐
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Good on you – a great Australian expression! We have a couple of friends who have dedicated themselves to learning Russian and it seem it’s very hard to learn but very rewarding as your fluency progresses. Keep up the great work.
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Thank you for your encouraging words, Karen! I really hope I make it to the other side ๐
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You will!
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๐
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I am inspired to learn Russian!!
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Oh yes! Let’s do this together then. I have a little bit of existing framework to get you started too ๐ ๐
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Great!! A new language. Yippie.
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Wait! Are you serious? I mean I am glad if you are but don’t back out later ๐ ๐
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Oh yes. I’m absolutely serious. I’ll be able to read all the Russian novels sans translation. I had always wanted to learn a foreign language.
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Haha that’s awesome. Drop your email or any other contact detail in the comment and let me ping you personally then ๐ ๐
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That sounds fun. [email protected]
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Check your email ๐
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An admirable project.
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Thank you ๐
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This is awesome, truly amazing. And i mean it๐ bravo!!โบ
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Thanks for such a kind comment ๐
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Great determination and progress, much is lost in translation..I couldn’t agree more. But then, once you learn the language and read the Russian originals you would translate them too ๐
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Haha I wish I ever become that skilled at it ๐
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Bravo to you. Not everyone can do this successfully
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Thanks for your kind words, Andrew. I hope I see it all the way through ๐
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I see your determination. I believe you will.
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๐ ๐
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Nothing more to say than giving you a BIG SALUTE for your determination ๐
& May I know where you are from ๐ค
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Thank you for your encouragement. I am from Delhi ๐
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Oh wow!!! You’re learning Russian?! Fascinating!!!!
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Thank you! Here’s the reason why I am learning it ๐
https://literarylemonades.com/2018/05/19/prochnost-a-tribute/
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ะะดัะฐััะฒัะน, ะะดัะฐะฒะตะน. Neha, if you learned Russian you almost know Bulgarian as well ๐ Slavic languages.
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Haha! You know what, you wouldn’t believe just how many times I have read that. In the first couple of weeks, I almost used the picture of a Bulgarian textbook as the cover picture for my ‘Prochnost’ updates, until a Russian friend of mine made it clear it’s Bulgarian ๐
I hope to learn Russian soon because I have recently come to know that Slavic languages have very similar roots. Hope I do Russian right and who knows! Maybe we can chat in Bulgarian some day ๐ ๐
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