Quote Originally Posted by Helenej View Post
I agree with you on the fact that all the highlighted words are understandable to any Russian person.

Yet I am trying to imagine who could say them without, maybe, that ironic meaning.

во всей округе - maybe some older people who live in the country only. Others would say вокруг, поблизости, по соседству, недалеко, во всем районе.

склонность - no one in this meaning. Симпатия, любовь, привязанность.

нежели - no one. Чем.

видались - Hmm. Maybe in the negation like мы давно не видались. Still my daughters would never say that. Не виделись.

сперва - maybe, though it sounds oldish. Сначала, в первую очередь, для начала.

весьма - never and noone. Очень, в значительной степени.


Though, as I said, all these words may be used to make people smile, with irony.

Mr. Crocodile has recently been quoting professor Preobrazhenskiy's words "В топку ее, немедленно." I'm not that resolute. Let Pushkin's story live, but not on this site.
While at the task of learning Russian, I would definitely rather read something in contemporary language. Unfortunately, I'd probably read completely through something like that and not even know it's not current. Then in turn I'd use the words, and people would look at me like I had two heads...lol