Thread: I just started... and need some help

This site has good resources ^^

But is there any other good fantastic sites for learning Russian?

Thanks for your help ^_^

Probably not. Kidding

This site is just a forum. Did you check the collection of links at www.masterrussian.COM

No I didnt, thank you =o

Hi, I'm new also.
Found the site back in the spring, trying to learn enough Russian to surprise a co-worker (pleasantly, I hope)
I've got the alphabet down, working on vocabulary and grammar.
This is by far the best site I've found. Thanks, MasterRussian!
I like Alexander Lipson's book "A Russian Course" from Slavica Publishers; weird sense of humor, lots of grammar drill. I did a search on this board but found no reference to it; has anybody else seen it?
The foreword says the language department at Boston University has tapes for the book, but even without them it's quite detailed & clear. (I'll try to contact them for the tapes and see how expensive they are. The book was only about $12 from Abebooks)
Also, the public libraries (and used book stores) around here have a few different courses both in books and tapes which I've sampled, and a couple CD-Roms. The Transparent Language gives some games for basic vocabulary, which I found kind of fun.
I'm not rich enough for Rosetta Stone, if I ever do buy it I'll make sure to give it to a library when finished. Wondering about trying Interlibrary loan for it in the meantime.
Thanks Privat for the Win98 typing in Russian FAQ, working on getting that to work for me (also may try the Linux tip I found, though the $50 dollar laptop I was going to run Linux on has (surprise, surprise) some severe hardware problems)
There are a lot of cultural references to Russian. One thing I noticed when I rented Clockwork Orange recently was a lot of Russian words in the futuristic slang.
Will be following and reading with interest.
Good luck with your studies.

I thought I'd learn Russian to impress my Russain "girlfriend"

Originally Posted by Vanilla

...I like Alexander Lipson's book "A Russian Course" from Slavica Publishers; weird sense of humor, lots of grammar drill. I did a search on this board but found no reference to it; has anybody else seen it?...

Here it is:
http://www.belomors.ru/russian/lipson.htm

It's quite bizarre indeed .

Denis, I agree, from the excerpts on the site the book seems quite ridiculous. However, I'm finding it pretty helpful. The material in between the little stories is pretty standard pronunciation and grammar drill; and the book is from 1981 so an extended lampoon of Soviet culture was probably a timely idea then.
Yet it's not a mean-spirited parody. He starts off with the udarnik/bezdelnik dichotomy, introduces kulturniy/nekulturniy, and talks about esprit de corps: "nasha brigada - kulturniya brigada" - it makes me a little nostalgic for idealism in this era of realpolitik.
Slavica publishing is the source, they are a small house which is run by an Indiana University professor and has a lot of scholarly resources. They don't sell the tapes for the Lipson book though.
I found out the tapes are available from Boston University's language lab, for $65.00 plus $4.00 shipping. I haven't been able to fit them into the budget, but have been making do with "learn while you drive" from the library and trying to draw out my Russian co-worker (who is an udarnik) when he's not busy.
I bought for $1.00 + postage, the Old Penguin Russian course. It seems pretty good too. They give a couple pages of samples and say "Russian cursive is easy." Inspired me to try it - it's not too hard, though mine may be a "write-only" type of recording.

Having passed the stage of life when drugs and alcohol appeal, I'm getting a big kick out of every little bit I can learn, even when my progress is slow.

I've just recently started learning Russian. I don't know about other folks, but here in Washington State (King County) we have free access to Rosetta Stone! I have found it very helpful.
This is the first time I have posted here, it's a great forum, I like it!

We like you too!

Originally Posted by Vanilla

I like Alexander Lipson's book "A Russian Course" from Slavica Publishers; weird sense of humor, lots of grammar drill.

I always thought that's a parody! But I'm not so sure after I found some passages from that japan-russian phrasebook:
- Это банан? (Is that banana?)
- Нет, это ракета! (No, that's a rocket!)

- Познакомтесь, это наши дети: Маша и Пьюпил.
- А кто из них Маша, а кто Пьюпил.
- Вот это Маша, а это Пьюпил.

Она сказала глядя в окно "Какая хорошая погода". Он ответил: "Да, погода взаправду хорошая". Весь день шел дождь. Они любили друг друга.

I've often wondered, but never really asked, how is it that people find a thread that has been dead for almost a year and post on it? I don't say it to be mean or anything, but was it brought up by a search or just by going through a whole lot of threads? I'm in a curious mood, I guess...!

-Fantom

This is a special talent I never post on old threads though used to look for different kinds of things in all that mass of threads and posts. The Search option does not help much.

I'd use the search function. I think it does work for me. I would then reply on the thread, irrespective of age. This is so that I do not start a similar thread that's already there.

Originally Posted by tohca

I'd use the search function. I think it does work for me. I would then reply on the thread, irrespective of age. This is so that I do not start a similar thread that's already there.

Yes, some people post at other forums where they've learned not to start new topics if there are similar topics already made so when they come here, they think posting in existing ones is better.

Though sometimes people start topics with the same questions, e.g will I be attacked in Moscow with these preferences etc.

Originally Posted by Cath

I've just recently started learning Russian. I don't know about other folks, but here in Washington State (King County) we have free access to Rosetta Stone! I have found it very helpful.
This is the first time I have posted here, it's a great forum, I like it!

How is it that you have free access to Rosetta Stone? Public library? I've always wanted to try it, but it's REALLY expensive. A friend of mine has the Rosetta Stone for Spanish, and he said it's great! When I finally get enough money, I'll probably buy that (Russian, not Spanish).

C'mon Platinum, we know you have the money!!! No excuses!

Aah, I see. I guess my thinking is that when I have a question, it's better to ask and have the material subjected to people who might not have been around when the other thread was started other than just say "oh, that's how". But yeah, I have been part of forums where people answer "new" questions with a reference to the search button and some profanities...
-Fantom

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

C'mon Platinum, we know you have the money!!! No excuses!

What makes you think I have money? Just because my name is Platinum doesn't mean I have lots of that precious metal lying around that I could take to "Jack's Pawn Shop" in exchange for some (cha-ching) cash.

(Or, instead of cash I could get some old Barry Manilow 8-tracks!!!)