Thread: Are native Russian speakers 'language snobs' or tolerant?

Originally Posted by Hanna

Thanks for the responses, Anixx!
If anyone has the time, could you post a video of somebody speaking Russian with a strong Caucasian accent? Not a parody, but a a real person...

And as for Stalin, if this accent is percieved very negatively, how was he able to gain people's respect, and become the leader? Doesn't it make him sound stupid or uneducated when he speaks? I mean many Russians (but certainly not all, I know!) have very high views of him, even today.

I think, negative impression of Caucasian accent is more of personal opinion of Anixx or the result of contemporary conflicts with north Caucasian ethnicities. Maybe even local Moscow trend. It was definitely not the widespread phenomenon in USSR and it is not widespread in Ukraine.

Second, there are many rather different peoples in Caucasus and accents can be different enough (though with some common features). The most prominent "Caucasian" accent win USSR was considered Georgian. It is often funny but hardly weird. Stupid - no. Uneducated - i do not think. At least if the accent is not too heavy.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

I think, negative impression of Caucasian accent is more of personal opinion of Anixx or the result of contemporary conflicts with north Caucasian ethnicities. Maybe even local Moscow trend. It was definitely not the widespread phenomenon in USSR and it is not widespread in Ukraine.

Second, there are many rather different peoples in Caucasus and accents can be different enough (though with some common features). The most prominent "Caucasian" accent win USSR was considered Georgian. It is often funny but hardly weird. Stupid - no. Uneducated - i do not think. At least if the accent is not too heavy.

Yes. There is no any Caucasian accent: there are many unrelated languages there. The Georgian accent is the most famous, but I don't think we have any bias against it. Stalin's speech was not his strongest position and he rarelly spoke publicly.