Thread: (^___^)/ Hello. Yet another guy from America :o)

Hello,

My name is Dillen and I have an interest in learning how to speak the Russian language without sounding like a dork with a southern accent. (oh, a dork is a tourist that EVERYONE KNOWS is a tourist. I'm much more comfortable with blending into the background)

So I guess I'll see everyone around the board some.

(^___^)/

*waves bye*

May I be the first to welcome you to this forum.

Post any questions you want about the Russian language.
I will give you an answer.

I'll be the second, I reckon.

Ну началось...

В тройке и нее*ёт!

Hey, Dillen! Welcome aborad!

And thanks again for your commentaries in the section "English for Russians". (I'e browsed the forum from the bottom .

P.S. Чувствую, и тут тенденция к первонахам... Net surfer, фдисятке палюбому!

Hi, Dillen!

Welcome to the forum.

Don't worry too much about how you sound, speaking Russian. Just take it one step at a time. And no worries about whether you're perceived as a "tourist" by your Russian...most of my Russian friends wouldn't care, so long as you make the effort to speak, and importantly so long as you are (and act) симпатичный (being likeable...having nice, pleasant personality and qualities). Hope that makes sense.

Anyhoo, welcome!

Hi!!

I'm new too, hoping to improve my Russian language, also without sounding like a dork!! :P This forum's pretty damn helpful, or at least I think so, everyone's really great!

~jessi

Hello Dillen,
My name is Sara and I too wish to speak russian without an accent. However, that will probably be impossible since my first language is french and I speak english with a french accent and speak french with an english accent which leads me to believe that I will speak russian with a french/english accent. Anyways, welcome.
:P

speak french with an english accent

Is this possible? Do you do this on purpsose?

Of course I don't do it on purpose. I guess that since I moved to the united states, I speak english more than french and when I go back to canada, they can hear the english accent. Funny don't you think...

It is kinda strange Sprty but I've heard this before! My father spend some time France and came back with an obvious French accent. When I mentioned this to his French friend, she said that his french had a heavy English/Australian accent. Somewhere along the lines he got caught in the middle. Maybe same kind of phenomenon ?

I thought you were French and just spoke English as a second language. I quite forgot that they speak French in Quebec. I was in Canada this summer though Yeah, that's pretty funny but it's quite natural that people start speaking their first language with an accent if they've lived abroad for a long time.

Yes, sometimes I think that it's kind of sad that I cannot speak a language without a foreign accent but at least I speak more than one language.

On a different note, what would you guys recommend as the first words to learn in russian. I have learned the very basic such as hello, good bye, how are you? and the answers to that question, i understand, yes/no, thank you, your welcome/please, and listen. I'm starting a basic russian class at the university at the end of this month and I have started reading the textbook but find that learning the name for clothes is not that interesting right now. What would you recommend?

Thank you
Sara

Continue learning the basic words. I don't think these are only welcome, hello etc. There are a lot more words that one should know at the very start. Maybe you should wait until your Russian classes start? If they're going to teach you the basics it would be a good idea to wait. But if you really want to start now, then start studying textbooks intended for beginners. What do you think?

I know that there are many more basic words than just hello and welcome. Right now, I would prefer to start with words/phrases that I can use to communicate in Russian. I work at a hotel and we have a large group of Russian that work for the Boeing Design Center. Some of them know almost no english and it would be nice to have a basic conversation with them. But, I guess I will continue reading my textbook and hopefully I will eventually be able to talk to them.

Thanks

I think it could take quite a while to be able to communicate with those Russians. I really don't know what else I could say to help you greatly improve your Russian in a short period of time.

yea theres not really a whole lot u can do. It's taken me 3 years of medium level study to be able to understand about 75% of whats being said (with difficulty) and i can only express myself about 50% of the time, and the percentage is signifigantly lower if you want to include the times i say things with correct grammar or sound natural.

yea theres not really a whole lot u can do. It's taken me 3 years of medium level study to be able to understand about 75% of whats being said (with difficulty) and i can only express myself about 50% of the time, and the percentage is signifigantly lower if you want to include the times i say things with correct grammar or sound natural.

which is absolutely natural. I've got the same problem with English. I can understand nearly everything but when it comes to writing complex texts I start feeling outta place.

But, I guess I will continue reading my textbook and hopefully I will eventually be able to talk to them.

That's a bright idea!

How-Dee Dillen,

Welcome to the stuggle
You couldn't have come to a better place with a warmer group of peeps.

Don't mind a couple,
they are only being excentric,

tickles dogboy with a wet feather to stir his rage



Everyone has been very patient and helpful.
Learning Russian here has been fun and progressive.

Ok. Byez

Originally Posted by sprty100

I too wish to speak russian without an accent. However, that will probably be impossible since my first language is french

I don't know where I heard this at as it's been awhile, but someone mentioned on a television show that if you were brought up in another culture and developed an accent from that culture. That it would be easier for you to sound like a natural foreigner than it would be for an english born person to attempt. I guess an english or an american accent doesn't translate very well into other languages. But friend could still blend in, though.