Thread: Success at Individual Studying

I am wondering, for anyone who has studied completely independently, and totally on his/her own, have you actually achieved a good amount of fluency in Russian?

I want to know how feasible learning it completely alone can actually be, and in what time frame, and if there's anybody here willing to testify sucess in understanding the language in an advance way by learning in this fashion.

Thanks.

Well, to be honest I haven't studied Russian completely independantly, but I would say for the most part i'm self taught. The Russian program at our university is really really bad, as it consists of only one crazy teacher. This in itself is not bad, but when the instrumental case is taught by saying "just add -ом to the noun", I would say that you pretty much have to teach yourself

I think it is impossible to learn russian (or any language) completely on your own. You need to have some exposure and interaction with somebody who is either a native speaker, or somebody who is pretty fluent in the language. Without this, you may get to a point where you can read and write russian, but probably not anywhere close to being able to speak.

My best advice is this (for typical university student) - even if you have no experience with the language, try taking a summer abroad and studying russian in Russia. There are a lot of programs which offer classes taught in english, so you don't even need to know what your doing. You'll pick up things very quickly just by hearing it all the time, and it will give you a pretty good foundation to teach yourself after that.

As for the time frame - that depends completely on you. I know some people who can look at a word or phrase and they instantly remember its meaning. I, on the other hand, have to write things out a bit before I really learn new things, so it takes me a bit longer. And then there are always people who, I think, aren't able to think outside of their native language, which means its impossible for them to learn a foreign language.

Just my 2 cents, hope it helps.

tdk

From what I have seen of college based study you will be better off self studying.

Originally Posted by DDT

From what I have seen of college based study you will be better off self studying.

Get the man a cookie. He's right you know... Of course everyone is different, but, frankly, you're unlikely to gain a very deep/correct command of the language. If you're going to Russia in a couple weeks and you want to be able to ask where the toilet is, then studying a bit on your own is ok, but you'd be wasting your time, energy, and money if you expect to form a serious foundation in the language...

The only way to study a language is to go to the country that speaks it.

End of story

рассказ закончен

I am studying Russian almost entirely on my own. I learn using only the internet, I have never even bought a single book on Russian. I have gotten quite a good grasp on most of the grammar and can communicate ok in writting. I can read or at least get a good grasp in most things written in normal, straight forwward language - ie not slangy or technical. My speaking however is lagging a bit. I don't get many chances to talk with native Russians face to face, also the radio gets VERY boring after time.... I still make loads of mistakes, but I'm getting better.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

The only way to study a language is to go to the country that speaks it.

End of story

рассказ закончен

I think you be correct!

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

The only way to study a language is to go to the country that speaks it.

End of story

рассказ закончен

I think you be correct!

Неееееееееееееееееет

dogboy taught himself pretty good and I can't remember whether pravit taught himself too or not.

Originally Posted by basurero

I am studying Russian almost entirely on my own. I learn using only the internet, I have never even bought a single book on Russian. I have gotten quite a good grasp on most of the grammar and can communicate ok in writting. I can read or at least get a good grasp in most things written in normal, straight forwward language - ie not slangy or technical. My speaking however is lagging a bit. I don't get many chances to talk with native Russians face to face, also the radio gets VERY boring after time.... I still make loads of mistakes, but I'm getting better.

This is pretty much true for myself except I did purchase one CD course which hasn't really been worth the money despite what it said on the back.

I haven't studied Russian in a classroom before. However, I can honestly say I picked up more German by listening to Rammstein (and learning translations to the lyrics), interacting at a few German-based forums and doing a few online language exercises than I did in 3 years of learning German in a classroom.

But then again, actually practicing speaking it in the classroom helped my pronounciation, I need to find something like that for Russian, because being a native English speaker, naturally Russian pronounciation is difficult.

Originally Posted by волк

I haven't studied Russian in a classroom before. However, I can honestly say I picked up more German by listening to Rammstein (and learning translations to the lyrics), interacting at a few German-based forums and doing a few online language exercises than I did in 3 years of learning German in a classroom.

You know, I was said by several German people not to learn the language by Rammstein lyrics, because they are often written in mediaeval style.

Originally Posted by Indra

Originally Posted by волк

I haven't studied Russian in a classroom before. However, I can honestly say I picked up more German by listening to Rammstein (and learning translations to the lyrics), interacting at a few German-based forums and doing a few online language exercises than I did in 3 years of learning German in a classroom.

You know, I was said by several German people not to learn the language by Rammstein lyrics, because they are often written in mediaeval style.

Of course, Till uses much poetic language. It's just the basic language they use for instance the lines in 'Ich Will' where you can pick up simple sentences, I personally already had a basis for the language that I learned in class so I used what I recognised. I don't believe people should only learn using Rammstein, especially the people that go to Germany and start quoting the lyrics when they don't know the full meanings of what they are saying, then they wonder why they get looked at strangely.

tdk2fe i feel you man.I complain about the same problem in here Turkey.Russian education program in here ain't aiming to teach new learners THE BASIC

Originally Posted by basurero

I am studying Russian almost entirely on my own. I learn using only the internet, I have never even bought a single book on Russian. I have gotten quite a good grasp on most of the grammar and can communicate ok in writting. I can read or at least get a good grasp in most things written in normal, straight forwward language - ie not slangy or technical. My speaking however is lagging a bit. I don't get many chances to talk with native Russians face to face, also the radio gets VERY boring after time.... I still make loads of mistakes, but I'm getting better.

Hehe. This whole time I thought you were speaking Ukranian! That was Russian?!?!? I guess that explains it...

i learned far more on my own. after 3 years on my own i came to moscow and was absolutly fine. no problems. of course you really achieve fluency by being in the country but you can achieve far more by studying on your own (providing you aren't retarded).
dogboy had a policy of never spending any money on learning materials, if i remember it took him a year just to buy a dictionary...

Originally Posted by волк

But then again, actually practicing speaking it in the classroom helped my pronounciation, I need to find something like that for Russian, because being a native English speaker, naturally Russian pronounciation is difficult.

Thre classroom did not help my pronounciation any. If anything it made it worse by havin to listen to everyone elses constant bad pronounciation. I spent three terms in college level Russian and all it really did was help me understand how the cases functioned a little better......and force me to learn a few useless words about professions and university subjects.

Anyone attempting to learn a language should take the attitude that they will do it on their own and just use college as something extra on the side. Whio knows, you might even get lucky and find a good course!

Originally Posted by basurero

My speaking however is lagging a bit. I don't get many chances to talk with native Russians face to face, also the radio gets VERY boring after time.... I still make loads of mistakes, but I'm getting better.

Get on Skype, boy .

Once I took English classes for a year too but they didn't help my pronunciation as well.

Originally Posted by net surfer

Once I took English classes for a year too but they didn't help my pronunciation as well.

Maybe people tend to think that pronunciation comes all of a sudden and don't work on it hard themselves. That is what I can comment judging by my experience.

What's the point in classes then? :) I don't have extra money and time to spend them at classes.