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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. :D
Post any questions you want about the Russian language.
I will give you an answer. :D
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!
:D
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
Is this possible? Do you do this on purpsose?Quote:
speak french with an english accent
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. :D
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.
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.Quote:
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.
That's a bright idea!Quote:
But, I guess I will continue reading my textbook and hopefully I will eventually be able to talk to them.
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
:wink:
Everyone has been very patient and helpful.
Learning Russian here has been fun and progressive.
Ok. Byez
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by sprty100
Rosa Anna
Is your 'location' inspired with my long-time-ago topic?
I don't know what your talking about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rtyom
Could be.
:o Now I remember, yes it was; it was based on a forum thread.
OK, gotta go, '
:-)
OK, now you 'left' it. :D
:Pда нет
This one's ambiguous! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosa Anna
You mean by ear? How long did it take you?Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
I mean by ear and reading. Not so long. Is there anything you don't like about that statement of mine?
It depends how you pronounce it :idea:Quote:
This one's ambiguous!
Why did you think I didn't like something? Just out of curiosity.Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
I think that there is no way you will ever be able to pass as a native Russian. So, if that is the material reason why you are learning Russian, then I suggest you either quit while you're ahead or find another reason to study. The thing is, 99% of people who start so late in life will never be able to overcome their accent, not to mention the fact that Russian is a language which differs gramitically a good degree from American English.
Напротив Андрей,
я полагаю, что это ОЧЕНЬ возможно, иметь моменты, где кто - то мог гармонировать совершенно с их фоном, однако иностранным. Но вне того урегулирования, их сломанный синтаксис грамматики отдал бы их как являющийся посетителем. Я полагаю, что в хорошо опытном урегулировании, как рестерант, гостиница, такси .., что человек сделал бы очень хорошо, чтобы гармонировать. Неожиданные моменты были бы теми, которые предают нас..
И не успешная жизнь, но хорошо осуществленные моменты, привязывал вереницу один после следующего?
Maybe the more you read of English author styles (voices), the closer you will be to finding your own unique (voice) that you are both happy with and that also incorporates complex writing style.Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
I found 18th century British poetry helpful to developing my confidence with heavy writing. :wink:
I agree that the older you are when you start learning a new language, the smallest your chance of speaking the language without an accent. However, I think that the statement is a little negative and that everyone should be allowed to believe that perhaps someday they will be able to speak without an accent. I know a few people that speak other languages without accent even though they learned them later in their lives.Quote:
Originally Posted by Андрей
I know somebody who lived in America for 30 years and she still has an accent...A BRITISH ACCENT.
She moved to America from Manchester England abour 30 years ago. I would have figured by now that she would speak like any other American born person. But she still has a distinct British accent.
Her son however, does not have any foreign accent.
Unfortunately I would agree with Andrei. But with a good reason, and it's not the language/pronounciation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Андрей
My friends tell me my pronounciation is usually good, often no accent...on several occasions I've been mistaken for an Estonian or Finn speaking Russian. I'm 100% American, from an Irish background.
BUT, I will never be able to pass as Russian. Because of unspoken language, which tends to give me away as an American. The way I walk, carry myself, facial expressions, gestures...they are all a part of the cultural unspoken language, and I cannot overcome these characteristics. One friend of mine can spot a foreigner 10 meters away, without ever listening to him.
Do I really care if I pass as Russian??? Nope, I don't. And neither do any of my Russian friends, who like me for who I truly am. It's just not that important.
Again, I think if you try to speak Russian (even poorly), you are a pleasant person, and you've got good friends, then life is good. You're learning a beautiful language. Your friends like you, you're having fun in Petersburg or Moscow (or Uglich!)....then what does it matter whether some crazy chuvak thinks you're Russian or not?!
I completely agree :D Russian is a beautiful language and that's one of the reasons why I am trying to learn it. Sometimes it would be nice to blend in, but I would be just happy being who I am and also be able to be understood well...Quote:
Originally Posted by Dobry
Sara