I believe that every book finds us at the right moment. Arkady Ostrovsky’s hardcover book The Invention of Russia: From Gorbachev’s Freedom to Putin’s War sat on my bookshelf for several years until I realized I needed to read it. That happened earlier this year, when Mr. Ostrovsky published his 8-part podcast, Next Year in
More Than Just Facial Hair
When I was working on a vocabulary list describing facial features, I realized that one word stood apart from all the others: beard, or борода in Russian. The word itself is fairly common. Etymologically, the beard comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhar-dha, like English beard, German bart, French barbe, Spanish and Italian barba and so
When I was working on a vocabulary list describing facial features, I realized that one word stood apart from all the others: beard, or борода in Russian. The word itself is fairly common. Etymologically, the beard comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhar-dha, like English beard, German bart, French barbe, Spanish and Italian barba and so
Пять минут. Выпуск 27. Война и мат
Привет! В эфире “Пять минут” – подкаст для тех, кто почему-то учит русский язык. Меня зовут Евгения Власова. Я преподаю русский язык и веду блог, который раньше назывался “Proper Russian”. С февраля месяца этого года мой блог и все аккаунты в социальных сетях называются “Нахуяз”. Почему так? Во-первых, потому что с 24 февраля, с того
Привет! В эфире “Пять минут” – подкаст для тех, кто почему-то учит русский язык. Меня зовут Евгения Власова. Я преподаю русский язык и веду блог, который раньше назывался “Proper Russian”. С февраля месяца этого года мой блог и все аккаунты в социальных сетях называются “Нахуяз”. Почему так? Во-первых, потому что с 24 февраля, с того
Пять минут. Выпуск 26. Новогодний стол в СССР
Привет! Вы слушаете двадцать шестой выпуск подкаста Пять Минут. Меня зовут Евгения Власова. Я лингвист, я веду блог Proper Russian и даю уроки русского языка. Этот эпизод для меня особенный. Во-первых, это первый выпуск после долгого перерыва. Я немного волнуюсь и радуюсь, что наконец-то решила возродить свой любимый подкаст. Во-вторых, это праздничный выпуск. Я записываю
Привет! Вы слушаете двадцать шестой выпуск подкаста Пять Минут. Меня зовут Евгения Власова. Я лингвист, я веду блог Proper Russian и даю уроки русского языка. Этот эпизод для меня особенный. Во-первых, это первый выпуск после долгого перерыва. Я немного волнуюсь и радуюсь, что наконец-то решила возродить свой любимый подкаст. Во-вторых, это праздничный выпуск. Я записываю
Drama and Comedy in Office Affair
Office Affair, a classic Soviet film, has been truly popular for over four decades. It became a hit right away, and has remained one of the most beloved movies for generations. It truthfully displayed the real life and actual problems of people in Brezhnev’s Era of Stagnation, and this is one of the reasons it became so popular. For the very same reason, viewers from other countries and even younger Russians may miss the hints and hidden jokes that make this movie not just a romantic drama, but also a brilliant, sparkling comedy. In this article, I’ll try to explain the secret language of the Office Affair to you so that you could understand the film better and enjoy it in full.
Office Affair, a classic Soviet film, has been truly popular for over four decades. It became a hit right away, and has remained one of the most beloved movies for generations. It truthfully displayed the real life and actual problems of people in Brezhnev’s Era of Stagnation, and this is one of the reasons it became so popular. For the very same reason, viewers from other countries and even younger Russians may miss the hints and hidden jokes that make this movie not just a romantic drama, but also a brilliant, sparkling comedy. In this article, I’ll try to explain the secret language of the Office Affair to you so that you could understand the film better and enjoy it in full.
Studying in Russia: Part II Culture Shock
This is the second part of the article about international students who chose to study in Russia. In the first part, my respondents talked about the language barrier and shared their thoughts about learning Russian in Russia. Language is just one aspect of being a stranger in a strange land. Language is a part of
This is the second part of the article about international students who chose to study in Russia. In the first part, my respondents talked about the language barrier and shared their thoughts about learning Russian in Russia. Language is just one aspect of being a stranger in a strange land. Language is a part of
Herbs in Traditional Russian Medicine
It was a hot Siberian summer, about +30C/ 86F. My friend and I visited my grandmother in a rural locality in the Altai region, near the Kazakhstan border. My grandmother and three other grannies, her besties, took us to pick wild strawberries. We marched a few kilometres on foot, away from the village, and reached
It was a hot Siberian summer, about +30C/ 86F. My friend and I visited my grandmother in a rural locality in the Altai region, near the Kazakhstan border. My grandmother and three other grannies, her besties, took us to pick wild strawberries. We marched a few kilometres on foot, away from the village, and reached
English and Russian Proverbs
Each language has proverbs, those simple, concrete sayings that crystalize common sense. Proverbs are a genre of folklore. They were created by people and passed from one generation to another as an oral tradition. They reflect the values and unique experience of the nation, and being the accumulated wisdom of many, they are a big
Each language has proverbs, those simple, concrete sayings that crystalize common sense. Proverbs are a genre of folklore. They were created by people and passed from one generation to another as an oral tradition. They reflect the values and unique experience of the nation, and being the accumulated wisdom of many, they are a big
The Hard Fate of Horror Movies in Russia
Would You Watch a Russian Horror Movie On Halloween? It’s Halloween, and many people are looking for new horror movies to kill time during the night after filling their stomachs full with the traditional mini-sweets (have you noticed that those Halloween candies are getting smaller and smaller?). Supermarkets all across North America have been displaying
Would You Watch a Russian Horror Movie On Halloween? It’s Halloween, and many people are looking for new horror movies to kill time during the night after filling their stomachs full with the traditional mini-sweets (have you noticed that those Halloween candies are getting smaller and smaller?). Supermarkets all across North America have been displaying