Thread: Russian version of USA

...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?

Originally Posted by Rtyom

I try to speak correctly. if you asked me, I would say ФБР и ФРГ correctly. All the time.

If you're Russian, you probably heard both acronyms said with "фэ" more often than correctly, even if you personally say it differently. Russians are not so fussed about correctly pronouncing each letter of abbreviations as in the alphabet. Even many TV speakers will say it this way. Not sure, if it the case when broken Russian penetrated the media or just carelessness. Could be considered as newly created words too, that sound better than the actual acronyms: Сэшеа, Фэбээр, Фээргэ. Just flooding, you know, not a very linguistic approach.

Anyway, США is never pronounced as in the alphabet - эс-ша-а.

I'm only a beginner to Russian but I like to listen to Russian radio and webcasts. I have only heard США pronounced as СэШа-а. In fact, it sounds just like СэШа. I'm no authority on Russian but from what I've heard this is how I've learnt or thought США is said.

Originally Posted by Johan

I'm only a beginner to Russian but I like to listen to Russian radio and webcasts. I have only heard США pronounced as СэШа-а. In fact, it sounds just like СэШа. I'm no authority on Russian but from what I've heard this is how I've learnt or thought США is said.

Your transliteration of what is said is close enough.

Originally Posted by Rtyom

...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?

"Комитет Государственной Безопасности", of course!
-Fantom

Wow, I didn't actually expect this thread to go on for so long. Thanks everybody for replying and clearing that up, also, thanks for taking the time to do the recording, Friendy.

It seems as if my main misconception was the "Ess" vs. "Se" thing.
I recently talked to someone from Russia (not on this forum), and she said that Russians mostly say Amerika rather than using the abbreviation.

Originally Posted by fantom605

Originally Posted by Rtyom

...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?

"Комитет Государственной Безопасности", of course!
-Fantom

Ка-гэ-бэ, as expected.

Originally Posted by Sleepy

Wow, I didn't actually expect this thread to go on for so long. Thanks everybody for replying and clearing that up, also, thanks for taking the time to do the recording, Friendy.

It seems as if my main misconception was the "Ess" vs. "Se" thing.
I recently talked to someone from Russia (not on this forum), and she said that Russians mostly say Amerika rather than using the abbreviation.

США (сэ-ше-а), Америка, (Соединённые) Штаты are all possible options.

Just say "America". You'll get along just fine.

Originally Posted by Анатолий

Originally Posted by fantom605

Originally Posted by Rtyom

...Yes, and how would you all say КГБ?

"Комитет Государственной Безопасности", of course!
-Fantom

Ка-гэ-бэ, as expected.

People keep saying it КэГэБэ.

If you just say Америка most people will ask you to clarify which of the three Americas you're referring to. As to the pronunciation of США, in yeltsinspeak it's ШАААААА .

[quote=Rtyom][quote=fantom605]