learning russian

[Frieda]

i'm learning russian. i can understand simple spoken language now and say some short sentences myself, but i'm having trouble with the cyrillic alphabet. reading as well as writing it, i keep confusing the characters. anyone any tips or tricks?

the greek alphabet was a lot easier to learn..... lot less characters as well. maybe those of you that know some japanese.. how did you learn all those characters?

[Con ate dog]

I'm learning Chinese.

That doesn't help you at all.

Wait, a tip in speaking it: make fun of their accent a lot (not in earshot, natch); it's a shortcut to getting the pronunciation down.

If you're not around Russians on a regular basis, though, that doesn't help you at all.

[Frieda]

but if you're learning chinese-- how do you try to master all the chinese characters?

[madasacutsnake]

Frieds - write out a group of six and stick them to the toilet wall. When you've memorised those, start on another group. Kind of lame advice, but it works.

[zenbabe]

I will ask J for some advice, he learned russian.

[Hermione]

I used to write vocabulary words on a sheet of paper and tape them to my shower door. It only works if you have a glass shower. While you're showering you can repeat the words to yourself.

Originally Posted by madasacutsnake

Frieds - write out a group of six and stick them to the toilet wall. When you've memorised those, start on another group. Kind of lame advice, but it works.

[RuneT]

wow!

yeah stick the letters next to the toilet pictures.

[zenbabe]

Looking towards the Japanese language won't help I think. Think more like German with its DIE/ DER/ DAS - MASCULINE/FEMININE/NEUTRAL stuff...

http://masterrussian.com/

This is an excellent site, which includes an "idioms" section (unusual for most sites). The Russians love to speak in code, a somewhat robust linking of colloquialisms and myth. The meanings of these poetic homilies/proverbs/prophecies are often lost in translation, but can give one an "AH-HA!" feeling when you finally get it. I guess that goes for any language I don't friggin' speak, so that's probably useless to you...Hey, they gotta lotta sayings. Lotta History, Lotta sayings...

RE: CYRILLIC - Pretend you're a "cryppie" (codebreaker) and study yer ass off. The alphabet is pretty interesting, though I get a headache after awhile because it tends to make my head spin, and I see strange patterns. Could've been all that "brown acid" I took at that Renaissance Festival though, so who knows?
Russian is not as hard as Asian or Arabic languages to learn, but brace yerself lass - it's still challenging. You're going to get confused trying to say your English "B"s as a V sound, Your "C"s as an S sound, etc., so get used to it. Think in Russian, or it won't work...

My theory is that the Russians, while the most awesome and boisterous partiers I've ever known (once they know you), are by nature a secretive and distrustful lot to outsiders. Look at their history: Invaded by Genghis Khan and the Germans since forever, 27 million killed by Stalin, The KGB, The Russian Mafia. I think I'd talk in a sing-song code too...

[Frieda]

thanks!

the different kind of cases and use of masculin/feminin are no problem, i managed to learn german, greek and latin so i'm used to chopping up a sentence first before speaking it, after a while it all goes natural.

the cyrillic makes my head spin too, and i'm not influenced by any festival there's so many characters and they all look similar, sometimes a tiny different thingy on top or on the bottom and you pronounce it very differently. that's giving me a lot of trouble.

i've been listening to idiom a lot, to get familiar with the sounds and pronunciation. it makes it easier to get really into it. i repeat sentences and words, i understand them when i hear them.. now just learn to read and write.

thanks man! i'll let you know how it goes