Thread: ... I'd like to sing you a song....

You're not actually going to sing in Russian for Russians are you?

Originally Posted by TATY

You're not actually going to sing in Russian for Russians are you?

Why not? I know most Russians like to sing. After hearing me sing, they'll be encouraged to to sing.

http://groups.google.com/group/russian- ... %D0%BD.WAV

I've just recorded my rendition of "Катюша". I hope you will help me by listening to it (I know it's pretty awful ) and commenting on it.
Really appreciate all your help. My exam is in two days time, and I'd like to sing this song for the exam as well as I can. Thanks.

You've done very well!

When you asked to join in, me subconsciously went along with singing.

The most noticable pronunciation mistake is the cluster of soft consonant and [jу] like in катюша. It feels like a sudden quick stop between them.

Anyway, that was cool!

"от Катюши передай привет" - you said "от Катюша"
"спасибо Вам большое" - it came out as "большой"

Thanks Rtyom & E-learner, for taking the time to listen to my atrocious singing and pointing out the various mistakes. The soft consonants are really tough, thus I intent to put more conscious effort to pronounce them better.

Just a thought. Try to pronounce not "катьйуша", which is pretty much what you do, but "катьиуша", and then reduce "и", almost get rid of it.

Originally Posted by E-learner

Just a thought. Try to pronounce not "катьйуша", which is pretty much what you do, but "катьиуша", and then reduce "и", almost get rid of it.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by E-learner

Just a thought. Try to pronounce not "катьйуша", which is pretty much what you do, but "катьиуша", and then reduce "и", almost get rid of it.

I'm not sure that's good advice at all. You seem to be telling him to further separate the ю and т. Катьйуша (which is Катьюша) is much closer to the Катюша than 'Катьиуша'...

Originally Posted by TATY

Катьйуша (which is Катьюша) is much closer to the Катюша than 'Катьиуша'...

I do not agree.
I only would suggest to pronounce not "Катьиуша", but "Катиуша". The "й" sound in all Russian words like this sucks awfully.

Originally Posted by Оля

Originally Posted by TATY

Катьйуша (which is Катьюша) is much closer to the Катюша than 'Катьиуша'...

I do not agree.
I only would suggest to pronounce not "Катьиуша", but "Катиуша". The "й" sound in all Russian words like this sucks awfully.

I still think at least Катьюша is the correct number of syllables (Кать-йу-ша) (3), whereas Катиуша has an extra syllable (Кать-и-у-ша) (4).

Originally Posted by TATY

I still think at least Катьюша is the correct number of syllables (Кать-йу-ша) (3), whereas Катиуша has an extra syllable (Кать-и-у-ша) (4).

TATY, the incorrect number of syllables is the lesser evil for native Russian speaker's ears in comparison with this disgusting "й", believe me.

I, personally, prefer to be called not Oh-lya, but Oh-lee-ah which sounds much better and closer to my name.

It occurred to me that my advice, even if it is excellent from the point of view of a native speaker, may be impossible to realise.
I mean, if non-native speakers say "тьйу" instead of "тю" then they might just as well say "тьйиу" instead of "тиу". If this is the case then my suggestion won't work.

correct number of syllables

Just make "иу" a diphthong

Originally Posted by E-learner

It occurred to me that my advice, even if it is excellent from the point of view of a native speaker, may be impossible to realise.
I mean, if non-native speakers say "тьйу" instead of "тю" then they might just as well say "тьйиу" instead of "тиу". If this is the case then my suggestion won't work.

correct number of syllables

Just make "иу" a diphthong

But иу as a dipthong would be йу, which is what you were telling him not to pronounce, so we are back to square one.

Originally Posted by TATY

But иу as a dipthong would be йу

No, it would not.

I think you'd better tell him to say "Kachoosha", and only after that, if he wants, try to make 'ch' sound more like 't' (or at least 'q' in Chinese putonghua) and 'oo' sound more like 'u' in French, or

Originally Posted by Propp

I think you'd better tell him to say "Kachoosha"

Yeeeees! Good point.