Thread: Why did you choose to learn Russian?

Primarily work related reasons - I am in IT and Russia is quite big in software.
But plenty of secondary reasons - E.g

I am Swedish, Russia is more or less a neighbouring country, fascinating and massively big.

Sweden has identified that Russian is a very important language for Swedes to learn, yet students rarely choose it and there is also a serious shortage of teachers. Government is at its wits end trying to get citizens to learn Russian. Same situation in Finland. I thought I'd set an example for others, lol...

Political/Economic - the anti-Russian paranoia that sometimes grips Western Europe is ridiculous and counter-productive and not in the interest of regular people. The best way to stop it is for people to be able to communicate with each other and have good relationships. Russia is playing well below its league financially; things can only improve on this front and it won't be long until Russia has a lot more dealings with Europe than just selling gas. That's when those who made the effort will be able to reap some career related benefits.

Apparently Russian is the most commonly spoken mother tongue on the European continent and one of the most common second languages. Fascinating country of contrasts and interesting people. Not to forget ex USSR countries where it seems that most people still quite happily speak Russian. Is that enough reasons?

The way I see it, it makes more sense for most Europeans to learn Russian than Spanish or perhaps even French.

The negative thing is that it is a lifelong work. Even native speakers of other Slavic languages (Poles for instance) think Russian is hard and that they can't speak it well. So this is discouraging... But I'll see how far I can get in a year before I jump to any conclusions.

Oh I forgot to say that I had a brief brush with Russian at school but dropped it because I thought it was too hard. I've never quite recovered from this defeat and now I want to prove to myself that I CAN in fact learn Russian.

It's a very interesting and pleasant (for us Russians) opinion, Johanna

Even native speakers of other Slavic languages (Poles for instance) think Russian is hard and that they can't speak it well.

Well, I agree that Russian is very difficult, but I must say that Poles speak Russian quite well... Although they still have a noticeable accent. But I recall at least two Bulgarians I've seen on TV who spoke Russian fantastically well (no accent, but some grammatical mistakes from time to time).

Oh I forgot one completely illogical reason why Russian attracts me:

I have always loved Russian folk songs! There is something about Russian melodies: Beautiful, 'catchy' and a bit melancholic, all at the same time. Just like life itself.

I used to sing in a choir and we sang lots of them, translated into Swedish, but usually called "Russian song The Birch Tree" or something like that. ...

One of these days I will see if I can't find the real Russian versions of the songs I liked the best. Maybe I could even understand some of the lyrics and see if the translations were good!

Originally Posted by Johanna

but usually called "Russian song The Birch Tree" or something like that

This one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSSFS159XpY&

Originally Posted by Johanna

Primarily work related reasons - I am in IT and Russia is quite big in software.
But plenty of secondary reasons - E.g

I am Swedish, Russia is more or less a neighbouring country, fascinating and massively big.

Sweden has identified that Russian is a very important language for Swedes to learn, yet students rarely choose it and there is also a serious shortage of teachers. Government is at its wits end trying to get citizens to learn Russian. Same situation in Finland. I thought I'd set an example for others, lol...

Thanks, Johanna for your opinion. You told us very interesting details. I think you will know Russian very well.
Here are some links with Russian folk music :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-PKKfK74Sc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oriTjBYY-q0
and here are some another texts and .mp3 files for download
http://music.lib.ru/c/coffeeshop/alb1.shtml

Thanks Zaya and EkaterinaK! Yes, Zaya was right -- that song was exactly the one I thought of! The arrangement was similar too. I also loved the guitar version and the vocals from katerina's links. The Swedish version has the same "lioli, lioli" words in the refrain, even though it doesn't mean anything at all in Swedish.

After I checked the links from both of you I did some more research. Very interesting and a bit nostalgic! I haven't heard these since I was quite young. Here are my top Russian folk songs:

-Во поле береза стояла - The Birch tree
-Две Гитары - Two Guitars
-Казачья колыбельная песня - Kossack Lullaby
-Из-за острова на стрежень - "Stenka Rasin"
-Очи Черные -Dark Eyes

Probably lots more, but it's hard to find out what they might be called!
Plus, I also have to mention:

-Smugljanka (has a Swedish version about a gypsy girl)
-Partisans from Amur (Socialist song I think, but I actually sang it in school in Sweden..)
-Katjusha (changed in Swedish to be about a Viking sailing on the Russian rivers in his ship

If anybody reading this does not know about Russian folk songs - check them out! They are amazing! Particularly the lyrics are very poetic and/or action packed.

There were two Russian songs which were quite popular when I was a kid in the 1980s, that my childrens' choir often sang. They were featured in old Russian adventure films for children. One was about swinging on a swing and thinking about the joys of childhood. The other was something like "A voice calling from far away" - mainly about friendships. Does anybody remember those songs and their names?

Originally Posted by Johanna

...There were two Russian songs which were quite popular when I was a kid in the 1980s, that my childrens' choir often sang. They were featured in old Russian adventure films for children. One was about swinging on a swing and thinking about the joys of childhood. ...

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=5264&p=86610&hilit=%D0%9A%D0% B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8#p86610

Originally Posted by Johanna

...There were two Russian songs which were quite popular when I was a kid in the 1980s, that my childrens' choir often sang. ... The other was something like "A voice calling from far away" - mainly about friendships

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=5264&p=206062&hilit=%D0%9F%D1 %80%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B 5+%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%91%D0%BA%D0%BE#p206062

http://www.russiandvd.com/store/album_a ... Fnumber=09

Исполняет Николай Сличенко


О, говори хоть ты со мной,
Подруга семиструнная!
Душа полна такой тоской,
А ночь такая лунная!

Вон там звезда одна горит
Так ярко и мучительно,
Лучами сердце шевелит,
Дразня его язвительно.

Чего от сердца нужно ей?
Ведь знает без того она,
Что к ней тоскою долгих дней
Вся жизнь моя прикована...

И сердце ведает мое,
Отравою облитое,
Что я впивал в себя ее
Дыханье ядовитое...

Я от зари и до зари
Тоскую, мучусь, сетую...
Допой же мне - договори
Ты песню недопетую.

Договори сестры твоей
Все недомолвки странные...
Смотри: звезда горит ярчей...
О, пой, моя желанная!

И до зари готов с тобой
Вести беседу эту я...
Договори лишь мне, допой
Ты песню недопетую!

Originally Posted by Johanna

-Казачья колыбельная песня - Kossack Lullaby

http://www.russiandvd.com/store/album_a ... Fnumber=15

Поёт Александр Донских Фон Романов


КАЗАЧЬЯ КОЛЫБЕЛЬНАЯ ПЕСНЯ

Слова Михаила Лермонтова

Спи, младенец мой прекрасный,
Баюшки-баю.
Тихо смотрит месяц ясный
В колыбель твою.
Стану сказывать я сказки,
Песенку спою;
Ты ж дремли, закрывши глазки,
Баюшки-баю.

По камням струится Терек,
Плещет мутный вал;
Злой чечен ползет на берег,
Точит свой кинжал;
Но отец твой старый воин,
Закален в бою;
Спи, малютка, будь спокоен,
Баюшки-баю.

Сам узнаешь, будет время,
Бранное житье;
Смело вденешь ногу в стремя
И возьмешь ружье.
Я седельце боевое
Шелком разошью...
Спи, дитя мое родное,
Баюшки-баю.

Богатырь ты будешь с виду
И казак душой.
Провожать тебя я выйду —
Ты махнешь рукой...
Сколько горьких слез украдкой
Я в ту ночь пролью!..
Спи, мой ангел, тихо, сладко,
Баюшки-баю.

Стану я тоской томиться,
Безутешно ждать;
Стану целый день молиться,
По ночам гадать;
Стану думать, что скучаешь
Ты в чужом краю...
Спи ж, пока забот не знаешь,
Баюшки-баю.

Дам тебе я на дорогу
Образок святой:
Ты его, моляся богу,
Ставь перед собой;
Да готовясь в бой опасный,
Помни мать свою...
Спи, младенец мой прекрасный,
Баюшки-баю.

Originally Posted by Johanna

-Из-за острова на стрежень - "Stenka Rasin"

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=14222&p=178475&hilit=%D0%BD%D 0%B0+%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1 %8C#p178475

Originally Posted by Johanna

-Очи Черные -Dark Eyes

http://www.russiandvd.com/store/album_a ... Fnumber=04

Поёт Фёдор Шаляпин

Очи черные, очи страстные !
Очи жгучие и прекрасные !
Как люблю я вас! Как боюсь я вас !
Знать, увидел вас я в недобрый час !
Ох, недаром вы глубины темней !
Вижу траур в вас по душе моей,
Вижу пламя в вас я победное:
Сожжено на нем сердце бедное.
Но не грустен я, не печален я,
Утешительна мне судьба моя:
Все, что лучшего в жизни бог дал нам,
В жертву отдал я огневым глазам !

Thanks for posting the great arrangements of the folk songs! Right now I can only understand some of it, half at the most... The "Two guitars" and "Kosack lullaby" arrangement were awesome. I'll make a Russian folk song playlist on my iPod. These songs will go on the playlist.

About the video clips: Wow! (Exactly the songs I meant!) Nostalgia overload! I had completely forgotten the titles and the plots - but now I remember! "The Guest from the future" was very good. Funny to see the "young pioneer" school uniforms, I guess you had something like that yourself, lol! The childrens' choir in the video is truly outstanding...

I also remember really liking another, older film about some kids that became cosmonouts and flew off to other planets... I think it was called "Moscow to Cassiopeia". I love space, so I adored this film. Cool detail: The girl cosmonauts sported the famous Russian-style white & fluffy hair ribbons while wearing their cosmonout outfits! Oh yeah, Russian "Three Musketeers" was another film that I liked as a kid. And "Snow Queen!"

Actually, when I grew up we got quite a lot of Russian programs for children. I remember watching some old but great Russian cartoons too. And there a Swedish kids' "talk-show" that was hosted by Crocodile Gena (as a puppet). Sometimes he travelled 'home' to Russia and visited interesting people and places, like the Samis (they live in Scandinavia too), the "BAM" railway, a 'sanatorium', a childrens' holiday camp. A lot of this stuck on my mind and some of it really caught my imagination. To this day I'd really like to travel the "BAM" railway! (In a light-blue train car...)

Sweden had a very mixed/conflicting view of the USSR. Media and intellectuals mostly liked it, apart from a few things. But the military and business couldn't stand it. But there was an incident which changed Sweden's view of the USSR and unfortunately meant that Russian films/music practically disappeared from Swedish TV and radio. It has never really returned:

Around 1985-86 Sweden (wrongly) came to believe that USSR sent submarines to spy along Sweden's East coast... Very detailed spying. The Navy, as well as regular people started seeing foreign submarines everywhere on the coast, almost like ghosts. Traces of submarines on the seabed were discovered too. A submarine was even spotted right in the middle of Stockholm, and several times near my own house which was on an island east of Stockholm. Some people saw 'frog men' snooping around near military installations. It was very confusing and people got worried and very angry.

USSR completely denied being responsible. They said that the descriptions in fact matched NATO submarines, but Sweden did not believe them and Nato kept quiet. But recently, in 2006 or so, it was discovered that the "ghost submarines" actually WERE from NATO! Exactly as Russians had said from the beginning. Sending submarines to Sweden was either a strange Nato exercise, or a psychogical trick... But if the intention of Nato was to make regular Swedes dislike and fear the USSR (Russia), then they succeeded, this incident really changed peoples minds.

Because of the submarine suspicions Swedish TV and radio virtually stopped broadcasting all Russian films. After that I have not seen a lot of Russian films, only some really big hits. Unfortunately here in England most people don't even know that there are good films made in Russia.

Well, after this nostalgia trip I can't wait to catch up with MODERN Russian cinema and use it to improve my Russian!

Great inspiration / motivation! Thanks Lampada!

Originally Posted by Johanna

After that I have not seen a lot of Russian films, practically none. Unfortunately here in England most people probably don't even know that there are good films made in Russia.

Johanna, I have read a number of your posting and you have had a most interesting life! I want to let you know about three threads here on MR that you may be interested in and may also help you with your dream to quickly learn Russian.

The first one is a thread I started back in late December about movies. When I began the thread it was for a different purpose and now it has morphed into a thread about all films (both live action and animated), TV and a little book talk. Mostly to do with Russian; however, we do talk about non-Russian as well. I also have links to the movies and most of them have English subtitles; however, we can help you find them without the subtitles if you don't want them. We have reviews and comments and questions about the movies that have been watched as well. You are most welcome to post your questions/reviews as well! Here is the link to that thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16413

The second thread that is much newer is the music thread. There you will find music of all sorts all the way from the 60's to just released and in languages including Russian, French, Spanish, and English. We have the lyrics for all of the songs posted to help you learn! Here is that link: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18854

The last one is also a music thread and is to help with your translation skills (maybe once you get a little better or a little bolder). You pick a song and then translate it into Russian (it does not have to be from the other thread; however, that is what people have been doing so far). Then someone comes after you and corrects your Russian and in exchange you will correct their English. You can also discuss the meaning of the song as well. Here is the link for that thread: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=18978

I wish you much luck in your studies and everytime I see your name I mentally correct myself to pronounce it correctly and as you said it "should" be pronounced and not as "we" Americans would normally butcher it!

RockzMom.

Thanks for explaining Rockzmom.. The threads seem interesting! The film thread is perfect for me, I have over two decades of Russian film to catch up with. I'll come back and check it soon.

Lampada is a woman too! Haha, are there ANY guys on this forum?? It's a real Ladies club!

Re translations -- Unfortunately, right now I am not good enough at Russian to translate any songs though... I'm just learning the basics right now, like simple verbs, nouns and adjectives.

Also: Sorry if jumped straight in without checking the other forums properly. In fact, I ought to study really, not write long posts in a forum, even one as great as this one....

As for my life being interesting... Hehe, it's incredibly boring right now! Studying Russian is probably the most exciting thing happening in my life. I bet your life is a lot more exciting!
Being an author must be wonderful.... (It's a dream of mine...)

Johanna, what you told us about Russian movies and not only that being known in Sweden back in the USSR times amazed me a lot. What I knew of Sweden then was ABBA, Olof Palme and that you had a great hockey team that I very much admired for their playing of course but mostly for their having beaten Czechs more often than not whereas to us they had always been hard nuts to crack. There was one more thing known of Swedes, but I can’t pin-point the moment when and how it came to be known, their liberal views on relations between the sexes. Too bad those submarines broke the infatuation, I’ve never heard a Russian saying anything bad about Sweden, there might be others who disagree though. Let’s hope their numbers are few.

Originally Posted by alexB

I’ve never heard a Russian saying anything bad about Sweden, there might be others who disagree though. Let’s hope their numbers are few.

Originally Posted by А С Пушкин

Но близок, близок миг победы.
Ура! мы ломим; гнутся шведы.
О славный час! о славный вид!
Еще напор — и враг бежит.

My memory is a little fuzzy now. Let me see. Oh, yeah!
But I was too young back then to remember.

@Alex --- Actually, Swedish people who travel to Russia always say how very similar Russians are to Scandinavians in many way. Finns say the same thing. Similar climate and personality / looks of people. Then there is the similar bad habit of crazy drinking...

(By the way, to clarify: Most people in Sweden did NOT view the USSR as a lovely socialist paradise. But the view was a bit more balanced than elsewhere in Europe. Because of being "neutral" Sweden supported nobody in the Cold War, and there was also more sympathy for socialism. The view of state TV / Radio was basically that Russian films and childrens programs were of a high artistic quality and that Western media should not be allowed to dominate. Hope this wasn't a sensitive topic?! But this is all just history now, anyway, right? )

Haha, I guess your icehockey comment shows that there are some guys on the forum after all!

Never even mention the USSR icehockey team to a Swedish or Finnish man! They will never stop talking! I have heard this so many times:

"Makarov, Pavel Bure, blah, blah blah........ World Championship..... blah, blah.... biased judges, blah blah....... "

2 hours later:

"Fedorov was surely the greatest player that ever lived!" "No, it was xxxxx"
"Well it was all down to Tikhanov, he was a GOD!"
"If Tikhanov had run the USSR instead of Gorbatjov, then it would still be around... "

... etc, etc, (sorry I might have miss-spelled the names!)

In fact, if the USSR had ever wanted to conquer the Nordic countries, then they should sent the icehockey team to do it! The men would have given up voluntarily out of respect, I suspect...

And I also don't know why the USSR team would be so superior to Russia's present team? The same people and skills are still around. Or maybe they aren't (?) I don't watch icehockey much though!

Originally Posted by Johanna

And I also don't know why the USSR team would be so superior to Russia's present team. The same people and skills are still around. Or maybe they aren't (?) I don't watch icehockey much though!

The stars of those times are too old now to play, and new one haven't been found and trained. One of the reasons of the decline of Russian ice hockey is that the huge networks of chidren's sports clubs and specialized schools was all but ruined during 1990s due to lack of financing. It is being restored now, but it takes a long time to rebuild what was destroyed in a moment. In the USSR, every city and most smaller towns had several (sometimes many) sports clubs ("спортивная секция" in Russian) for schooldkids. Boxing, soccer, ice hockey, judo, track and field athletics, you name it. Anyone who showed a promice of becoming a decent athlete had a chance to take part in city contests, and then in regional, republican, and all-Union contests in their respective age group. The best athletes were invited to special boarding schools with a heavy focus on sports. Nearly all sports-related activities for children were paid for by the government. And our star athletes (including hockey players) were a return on the state's investment into this chidren's sport system.

Originally Posted by Johanna

...Haha, I guess your icehockey comment shows that there are some guys on the forum after all!

You are slightly unfair to the men on this forum. Their name is plenty, their nicks maybe are a little confusing. Look for instance at that happy character above, with a sense of humor and a piggy tail. Isn’t he man enough?