# Forum Learning Russian Language Translate This!  Handwritten Russian Help 2

## tirednemo

Okay - I scanned what I've written so far with the translation you guy provided me in the other thread.  Does this look like handwritten Russian, and can you understand what it says?

----------


## scotcher

I can read and understand it just fine.

----------


## kalinka_vinnie

You can, but her M's look like T's. I can't see the difference between her M's and T's. I repeat, the Ms and Ts are look-alikes. Warning. 
 Otherwise, GREAT JOB!

----------


## BlackMage

3 minutes before you posted that I finished writing my version and was preparing to scan it.  Also, by 'scan it' I mean take a picture with a digital camera. 
Also like vinnie said on the topic of the confusing Ms and Ts... 
С Рождесмвот Хрисмовыи!

----------


## scotcher

Yeah you're right. Not all of them, but most of them. 
I didn't notice, but then I'm not Russian, and I am drunk.

----------


## tirednemo

blackmage, i would love it if you'd take a picture of yours, too, so I can compare. 
And - any advice on how to make my M's look like M's and my T's look like T's?  On the alphabet I've got, the printed Russian T's look like english m's, and the printed Russian M's look like cursive english u's.  Can someone show me an example of the difference between the M and T?

----------


## BlackMage

Hold on, little lady.

----------


## Gerty

Good job! Check your russian "M"   ::

----------


## BlackMage

<a href=http://netfiles.uiuc.edu/wakeman2/www/handwriting.jpg></a> 
There are examples of M vs. T at the bottom. 
EDIT: Sorry the first version was huge... 
You can still see the 1600x1200 version by clicking on the smaller one.

----------


## MasterAdmin

Regarding the original letter... The "м" in the word "мне" is almost OK except for a missing hook in the beginning. But I didn't even notice the "м" and "т" were the same when first reading it. Perhaps that's not that essential for understanding   ::

----------


## Spiderkat

> ...
> Can someone show me an example of the difference between the M and T?

 What about like this, so you can see the difference.

----------


## BlackMage

FYI, that sheet of paper, posted above, is for sale if anyone wants it.  The back side contains answers to the RUSS 401 final exam :P

----------


## tirednemo

Haha - want to know why my m's looked like t's?  I wrote them as t's, thinking that because the printed version looked like a m, then I should write m.  All corrected, and I'll post the correction tomorrow for you guys to look at when I can get back to the scanner in my school library. 
Thanks so much, guys!

----------


## BlackMage

My handwriting sucks, doesn't it?

----------


## tirednemo

No - actually, it was very helpful.  I stressed trying to write the b like the alphabet showed instead of my natural way the first time through, but your b is exactly the way i write mine in English naturally.  In fact, many of the letters I was forcing myself to write exactly like the alphabet showed, when writing them naturally just looks better.  Very helpful, you are!   ::

----------


## BlackMage

That reminds me... Since I started learning Russian it has become impossible for me to write English cursive.  Whenever I have to write a check or something my Ps would look like ns and my Rs would look ps but not closed on the bottom.  Sheesh.

----------


## tirednemo

All of a sudden, I'm fascinated with Russian.  Ever since I became friends with Lana.  It's funny - because I've always hated trying to learn foreign languages.  Especially French.   But I really want to know how to read, speak and write Russian.  I'm having fun with this whole thing for the message I'm going to put in the books!  ::

----------


## BlackMage

Having a Russian friend to talk to definately helps.

----------


## tirednemo

LoL - I'm FAR from speaking it...she doesn't even know I know how to somewhat write it yet.  That's why I want to write the message in Russian...surprise her!  ::

----------


## BlackMage

You could just prepare a short greeting when you give it to her or something. 
С Рожеством, Светлана!
For example. 
It seems even poorly contrived efforts tend to go over very well for recent immigrants and even less-recent ones.

----------


## tirednemo

You mean to say when I give it to her?  That's not a bad idea! Hwo do you pronounce that?

----------


## MikeM

> Okay - I scanned what I've written so far with the translation you guy provided me in the other thread.  Does this look like handwritten Russian, and can you understand what it says?

 It's truly amazing!  ::  I can't write that good myself... ::

----------


## BlackMage

Kinda like, "SrazhdestVOM" 
I'll record it for you later if noone else has, but I'm deathly afraid of waking my roommate.  He already thinks I'm weird as it is   ::

----------


## gRomoZeka

Your "л" are incorrect and look like "г" (I hardly can see any difference between "ко*г*да", "подру*г*а", "увиде*л*а", "Эш*л*и") or even english "r" sometimes. You need to write a little "hooks" on both sides of letter "л". It looks exactly like handwritten "м", but with one "top", while "м" has two.

----------


## net surfer

> My handwriting sucks, doesn't it?

 No, it doesn't. Many Russian students write at lectures so bad they can't recognize it even themselves :) Your handwriting is good. 
One thing sucks though, it's white balance ;)

----------


## laxxy

There is quite a bit of natural variation among people in cursive Russian, just like in English (except in English a lot of people apparently prefer to write in small print rather than cursive, i wonder if the schools encourage that here). 
I think the first thing you do need to fix and which does affect legibility is the small "L", which does have hooks on both sides and so should never look like a cursive English "r".
Also, a lot of Russians write the small "t" as "T", even though they teach it differently in schools. Also, the school standard has changed a few times itself.

----------


## tirednemo

How's this?  It's a simplified version of the last translation, or so I'm told.  Are my letters any better?  LoL

----------


## laxxy

er... are you a guy or a girl? this one is from a guy.
also, it's "etI", "ljuBish'", "shekSpirA" and "schastlIvogo". otherwise it's fine. 
The small L's are still missing the left hook, even though they are more legible now. When a letter (like "i") ends with a small low hook, and the next one begins from the same, both hooks should still remain and connect at the bottom.

----------


## tirednemo

LoL - a girl.  So it would be "Твоя подруга", right?

----------


## laxxy

> LoL - a girl.  So it would be "Твоя подруга", right?

 yes. and also "vspomnila", podumala" i "uvidela".

----------


## Nerzie

I'll suggest taking the first "Ya" away (it's better stylistically).
Rozhdestvo (aka Christmas) is starting with a capital letter.
The letter "v" in "zdorova" is written incompletely (the upper hook).
Good job, anyway  ::    

> i wonder if the schools encourage that here

 No, it's not ecouraged, just depends on teacher and pupil. Most of the time in school I wrote "r", "t" and "h" in small print, but ended writing "r", "t" in cursive. Teachers in school are more concerned in commas and grammar mistakes  ::  
PS Too bad I don't have a scanner around. 
upd: Not "Ya vspomnila" but "Ya znayu".

----------


## BlackMage

> No, it doesn't. Many Russian students write at lectures so bad they can't recognize it even themselves  Your handwriting is good.

 I suffer from the same problem with my lecture notes in English.
I do write small printed letters though, as someone noted.

----------


## BlackMage

As promised here is my non-native pronunciation of 
С Рождеством!  Believe me, she won't mind if you sound as bad as me.   ::  
Also, it means very simply, "Merry Christmas"

----------


## gRomoZeka

I can't scan my own handwritten text so I just typed it in one of computer fonts. It's not perfect but you can see here the difference between "л", "г" and "ч". 
The words are:
Л        у*л*овка         с*л*он          ом*л*ет
Г         у*г*о*л*             с*г*овор       а*л*маз
Ч        у*ч*ебник        с*ч*ет           мо*лл*юск 
EDIT: I don't see my attachment. How I can attach an image?

----------


## TATY

I think in native Russian's handwriting Г and Ч can look almost the same. But it's obvious from context which one it is. 
tiredemo - Your ь are too big. The top of the vertical line should be in line with the top of the other lower case letters. Your В and ь look the same.
 Nice handwriting otherwise!

----------


## tirednemo

Yikes! 
Okay, guys - back to square one.  Almost, anyway.  ::   I need your translastion help again.  I went back to that bookstore, and I found THE perfect book to get her.  And I know this because she was talking about the historian that wrote it the other day.  She loves history. ANYWAY, I found a book on the Romanov Dynasty by some world renown Polish historian that focused on Russian history.  So, I bought it, and am giving her this book along with the Shakespeare.  So I want to write another message in this book.  (Okay, so deep down I'm just fascinated with learning to write Russian, and that's why I want to write it in the front of this book as well.)  So - how do I say...and it will be coming from me, a girl (so I'll know the proper way to say it from a girl)... 
Svetlana, 
I know how much you love history, and when I found this book on the Romanov Dynasty in Russian, I wanted you to have it.  It is supposed to be a collectible. I hope it interests you, and that you enjoy reading it. If not, at least the cover is pretty and it will be a nice decorative addition to your shelf! Love you, and Merry Christmas! 
Your friend,
Ashley

----------


## Friendy

> Svetlana, 
> I know how much you love history, and when I found this book on the Romanov Dynasty in Russian, I wanted you to have it.  It is supposed to be a collectible. I hope it interests you, and that you enjoy reading it. If not, at least the cover is pretty and it will be a nice decorative addition to your shelf! Love you, and Merry Christmas! 
> Your friend,
> Ashley

 Светлана,
Я знаю как сильно ты любишь историю и когда я нашла эту книгу о династии Романовых на русском, я захотела её тебе подарить. Это коллекционая книга. Я надеюсь она тебе будет интересна и её чтение принесет тебе удовольствие. Если нет, то по крайней мере у неё красивая обложка и она будет хорошим украшением на твоей полке. Счастливого рождества! 
С любовью,
твоя подруга,
Эшли.

----------


## Indra

some mistakes from a non-native speaker would look much more nice than a properly translated text, you know it? 
Anyway, the translation. I translated "collectible" as "collectible edition", am I right?  

> Svetlana,  
> I know how much you love history, and when I found this book on the Romanov Dynasty in Russian, I wanted you to have it. It is supposed to be a collectible. I hope it interests you, and that you enjoy reading it. If not, at least the cover is pretty and it will be a nice decorative addition to your shelf! Love you, and Merry Christmas!  
> Your friend, 
> Ashley

 Светлана,
Я знаю, как сильно ты любишь историю, и когда я нашла эту книгу на русском о династии Романовых, я захотела подарить тебе это коллекционное издание. Надеюсь, книга тебя заинтересует, и тебе понравится ее читать. А если нет, по крайней мере, обложка красивая и будет симпатичным украшением на твоей полке. Люблю тебя, и счастливого тебе Рождества! 
Твоя подруга,
Эшли

----------


## chaika

FWIW, an inscription that is not from the author or someone famous (who's to predict?) will make the book less valuable/collectible.

----------


## tirednemo

Okay - how's this?

----------


## gRomoZeka

That's almost perfect!   ::  
P.S. бидет симпати чным -> б*у*дет симпатичным (one word)

----------


## MikeM

Wow! Your handwriting is beautiful! 
Just a small suggestion: since you seem to be close friends and you end up your note with "love you" words assuming very informal relationship you could replace Светлана with Света...

----------


## Rtyom

I think "люблю тебя" is inappropriate. "С наилучшими пожеланиями" will do.  ::

----------


## tirednemo

LoL - no, for Svetlana, "I love you" is perfect.  We say it all the time.  In fact, yesterday I made her mad (keep in mind she doesn't know I'm learning to write Russian) and I remembered how to write I love you. SO I took a piece of paper, wrote her name, I love you, and my name in Russian, and gave it to her.  She was rather shocked, and yelled "Ashley!  How do you know how to write like this?!  It is better than MY handwriting, and I am Russian!"  I just laughed.   ::   
Thanks guys, for all your help.  I'm giving her the books tomorrow!

----------


## MikeM

> I think "люблю тебя" is inappropriate.

 I also thought that was not quite appropriate... However, it is very common to use these words in English to end letters to friends... So, I was wondering whether we would alter the emotion by taking these words out? In other words, I think Russians are more reserved in using words like that, but does that mean that Ashley should be too?... 
Finally if the "love you" part is taken out, I don't think "С наилучшими пожеланиями" would be required as there is already "С Рождеством Христовым"...

----------


## tirednemo

> I think Russians are more reserved in using words like that

 LoL - not this Russian, my dear!  She's very affectionate and tells everyone "I love you!" in English every chance she gets.  ::

----------


## BlackMage

> LoL - no, for Svetlana, "I love you" is perfect.  We say it all the time.  In fact, yesterday I made her mad (keep in mind she doesn't know I'm learning to write Russian) and I remembered how to write I love you. SO I took a piece of paper, wrote her name, I love you, and my name in Russian, and gave it to her.  She was rather shocked, and yelled "Ashley!  How do you know how to write like this?!  It is better than MY handwriting, and I am Russian!"  I just laughed.    
> Thanks guys, for all your help.  I'm giving her the books tomorrow!

 Whenever I anger an American woman, I find it best to say things like, 
"I love you?"  Works like a charm.

----------


## tirednemo

I gave her the book yesterday, and she absolutely loved it.  I received about 10 hugs in less than a minute, and she and her entire family apparently spent the whole night trying to figure out how I came to use the words I used.  Apparently, the certain words that were translated to me were "words used in Russia by a very intellegent mind".    ::   
So, thanks guys!  Not only did I learn how to write it, now I've become very interested in learning the language altogether!    ::

----------


## BlackMage

> Apparently, the certain words that were translated to me were "words used in Russia by a very intellegent mind"

 That's us, very intellegent Russian minds.

----------


## tirednemo

I will agree wholeheartedly!  ::

----------


## Indra

have you revealed the secret to them?   ::

----------


## tirednemo

Yep - after it was discovered that I seemed intelligent in the Russian language, the gig was up!  ::  I told them I had a lot of help from some intelligent Russian speakers  ::

----------

