Thread: Pronunciation of the word 'to want' in Russian.

Originally Posted by Spiderkat

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Oh Gertiness, shouldn't your intonation go down, then up on the word кино? Since you are asking a question? Or am I being silly?

I agree, the question sounds a bit too flat. We can't tell whether it's a question or a statement.

Yes, I see, why the sentence sounds not quite expressive, but I tryed to pronounce "x" distinctly. In normal prononsation it would be competely hidden between "ы" and "о".

Originally Posted by fantom605

Oh, come on, I haven't had a drunken, naked night out since I'm 26!
-Fantom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Fantom!!! Wow, just turned 26 eh? Let's go drinking!!!!

Originally Posted by Friendy

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

And here would be VM's answer

And now confess what you really asked him to get that answer.

I asked him: Передайте, пожалуйста, соль.

Not just yet, I turn 27 in November. I just meant it had happened somtime in the last year...

But that's no reason to not start drinking now! за дружбу!

-Fantom

Originally Posted by net surfer

Originally Posted by fantom605

Oh, come on, I haven't had a drunken, naked night out since I'm 26!

Hmm what we're going to see then?

I'll see what I can do!

-Fantom

Originally Posted by fantom605

Not just yet, I turn 27 in November. I just meant it had happened somtime in the last year...

But that's no reason to not start drinking now! за дружбу!

-Fantom

Oh, I thought you hinted it was your birthday, since you regularily have drunk naked nights out. Sorry, my bad.

Saw this in "Basic Conversational Russian" by Fairbanks and Leed the other day, then was reminded about it when I saw the posts about stress. The book has this to say about questions without an interrogative word.

---------_____/
______/
Is she a teacher?

The pitch of the voice begins on mid pitch, jumps to high on the primary stress, and at the end of the sentence there is a slight rise.

In Russian there are several contours that may occur with such questions, the most important of which is the following:


_______/ \
-------------\__________
Вам понравился Кремль?

The sentence begins on mid pitch and jumps to extra high pitch on the primary stress, thereafter falling to low pitch. Since this question contour is rather similar to a type of statement contour in English, it is a type that an American may interpret as a statement rather than as a question. Therefore, the student should listen to this contour carefully and practice imitating it if he is to avoid misinterpreting Russian questions or being misinterpreted.

something to think about...