Thread: Grammar vocab

English is well known for being a spelling nightmare. English is much harder to spell than Russian.

Though
Cough
Bough
Through

Are some example.

Russian spelling much better reflects the pronunciation. yes there are also problems, like the reduction of O to A, or devoicing/voicing on consonants.

Originally Posted by TATY

English is well known for being a spelling nightmare. English is much harder to spell than Russian.

Though
Cough
Bough
Through

Are some example.

Russian spelling much better reflects the pronunciation. yes there are also problems, like the reduction of O to A, or devoicing/voicing on consonants.

These are easy.
It's always been with pain each time I tried to write miscellaneous or necessarily also rhinoceros.
And I won't ever understand why the name Sean is spelled like Шон.

Originally Posted by начало

Wow...I can't believe I got something right

That article from Wiki is quite useful, thanks Taty. I study in Manchester, why do you ask?

Pisces, are you English or Russian? If you're Russian, how do you know English words I don't?! lol Orthogonal!!

You can't be that old, unless you skipped math classes in high school!

I personally think that English spelling is quite easy... There are certain rules and number of exceptions is limited... So, it takes just memorizing... On the other hand there are some quirks with Russian spelling... What about цирк and цыган?.. Why the second letter is different?.. And let English language natives spell and pronaunce защищающиеся... And I can go on and on with such examples...

To начало I would suggest to learn correct spelling while building your vocabulary... It will be much easier for you later on... Believe me on this... As my dad used to say, you have to study language with your ass (or as you say it on the Island - arse)... Meaning, just sit on you ass and study, study, and study...

We used to make cards, on one side you write the word and the other side its translation... Carry them with you all the time and when you have a minute just check yourself with those cards... If you forgot the meaning or spelling check on the other side... In a bus, in a line (or que), or while sitting on a can... At home put post-it notes everywhere with words and translations, on mirror (or looking-glass), on fridge, on you monitor, everywhere... So, you always see them and repeat them... This way you will build you vocabulary rather quick... And forever... Key word - forever...

The opinions of native speakers of either language are pretty worthless when discussing which has a harder spelling system, you'd need to ask people who have learnt both English and Russian as foreign languages, and even then the closeness of their own native tongue to one or the other would have an impact.

Personally, I'd be amazed if anyone coming from a neutral language has found learning English spelling easier than Russian.

You go to sleep for a few hours and you have so much to catch up on

You be as vigilant as you like ReDSanchous, and I will try to be more careful with my spelling and grammar.

You can't be that old, unless you skipped math classes in high school!

Actually, I did fast track maths at school and then did statistics afterwards, but I ignored most of it and hated every minute of it. Maths and me just don't get along

SSSS: I am trying to learn the spellings of words now as I'm learning them, and when I do learn a new word I try and use it when writing to pen pals as much as possible, to make it stick. Plus that way when I do spell something wrong they point it out and I remember it better.
The flash cards are a good idea, but rather that have Russian on one side and the English translation on the other I put Russian, then a picture of what it is. This way I don't associate the Russian with the English but rather the object.

You have to study language with your ass

Your dad, is a very wise man

And finally, I do have to agree with scotcher. Is there anyone reading who has learned both Russian and English as foreign languages?

Edit:

New I had forgotten something. atm is a shortening, like btw

atm = at the moment

btw = by the way

I appologise for my laziness.

Originally Posted by scotcher

The opinions of native speakers of either language are pretty worthless when discussing which has a harder spelling system, you'd need to ask people who have learnt both English and Russian as foreign languages, and even then the closeness of their own native tongue to one or the other would have an impact.

Personally, I'd be amazed if anyone coming from a neutral language has found learning English spelling easier than Russian.

I agree with you. There are actually a lot of contributors here whose first language is neither Russian nor English. As far as I remember, there were members from Spain, Denmark, Turkey etc. on the forum. So we could ask them which language is the harder where spelling is concerned. Like you said, their opinions might be wrong too but at least they will be more objective.

Even though I still think Russian spelling's harder than English spelling, I know that native English speakers find Engish spelling very hard and I am not going to get into a debate over this simply because I have no chance to speak on the part of a native English speaker.

thanks, начало for enlighting me on what atm stands for.
BTW, I seem to be less vigilant atm

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

I am not going to get into a debate over this simply because I have no chance to speak on the part of a native English speaker.

thanks, начало for enlighting me on what atm stands for.
BTW, I seem to be less vigilant atm

I would back you up on that. English people do have trouble spelling, as I have proved

And its just as well you're not so vigilant atm, 'cos it's still really hot here and I am going to be sloppy again

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Originally Posted by начало

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

I'd say that your spelling's not impressive.

Now that I will happily admit, since I have never been able to spell properly, mostly due to my dyslexia

I think it's easier to spell in English than in Russian. What do you think, guys? At least, there seem to be only a few words that virtually all native speakers can't spell correctly. These are: definately, sentance, your (instead of you're, and vice versa), and its=it's

Actually, Sanchous... the words are definitely and sentence. Has the number of native speakers who can spell them correctly just gone up?

Originally Posted by Ramil

Originally Posted by TATY

English is well known for being a spelling nightmare. English is much harder to spell than Russian.

Though
Cough
Bough
Through

Are some example.

Russian spelling much better reflects the pronunciation. yes there are also problems, like the reduction of O to A, or devoicing/voicing on consonants.

These are easy.
It's always been with pain each time I tried to write miscellaneous or necessarily also rhinoceros.
And I won't ever understand why the name Sean is spelled like Шон.

Because Sean is an Irish name from the Irish language, and has nothing to do with English spelling.

Americans often spell it Shawn because they can't handle the crazy Irish spelling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_spelling

Originally Posted by начало

The flash cards are a good idea, but rather that have Russian on one side and the English translation on the other I put Russian, then a picture of what it is. This way I don't associate the Russian with the English but rather the object.

As long as it does the job...

It does..just slowly!

I think I have found all the vocab I need now. I just have one question, is 'предложный падеж' correct for prepositional case? It is different from the others which all end in '-ельный'.

Originally Posted by начало

It does..just slowly!

I think I have found all the vocab I need now. I just have one question, is 'предложный падеж' correct for prepositional case? It is different from the others which all end in '-ельный'.

You're right. The prepositional case is translated as предложный падеж.

Originally Posted by challenger

Actually, Sanchous... the words are definitely and sentence. Has the number of native speakers who can spell them correctly just gone up?

I know. The words in that post of mine are all spelled incorrectly. I don't keep record of how many native speakers can spell those words correctly, actually. It's just that they mispell them far too often.