Besides providing a useful reminder for which of the verbal pairing corresponds to the uni-directional version of 'to fly' (...don't ask!) todays subject is probably more familiar to native English speakers as 'Time flies".
The reason for acknowledging this is a comment made my teacher today that turned out to be an unexpected compliment on the progress I've made since first coming to St Petersburg last April. Being as it was last April, the fact that she thought it must have been two, maybe three years since I was first here is either a reflection on how slow time travels when she's teaching me or, as it turned out, a realisation that my Russian has progressed quicker than she'd anticipated.
A victory then! And one I was determined to prove as not just a fluke aided by my talking to a teacher trained to communicate with any foreigner who happens to have a rudimentary grasp of the langauge...
Undecided about where exactly to go for my 'practical lesson' I wandered over to my old haunt, the 'Museum of Political History of Russia'. (Note to self: Must take a photo of this place for the blog!) The sun was shining after an overcast start to the day - we seem to be on a good run again this week after a few early wet days - but I was happy to spend a couple of hours inside. The front entrance is still being renovated so follow the arrows to the side door.
What started as a quick question posed to the cashier - pre-prepared and repeated in a rather strange inner monologue during the journey - about whether the museum had any material on the Soviet-Finnish War became a full blown conversation with various members of staff about what resources I might find in the city! And I understand most of it! And they understood me!
Needless to say there was nothing available at the musuem and no dedicated exhibitions they could think of, but regardless, I did what I came to do and got my fix of 'conversation'. Not only that but to be able to talk about my work, my research interests and what I hope to achieve in Russia over the next few months was a real bonus and will hopefully set me up for my travels in Moscow.
Anyway, plenty more work to be done and I think tomorrow I need to pick another likely candidate and go speak to the curators there. Maybe the Secret Police branch of the State History Museum again or the artillery museum which I'm still yet to visit. Watch this space...
Showing posts with label Student. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Student. Show all posts
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Monday, 14 September 2009
Passing for a native...
So it does look like if I just keep my mouth shut I can pass for a Russian. I barely had time to nod in agreement to the cashier - returning to the 'The State Museum of Political History of Russia' for todays practice lesson - as she asked my tutor and I if we were students, by which of course she meant Russian students, when she offered up the tickets for entry. I wasn't going to correct her and lose the free admission.
I've described my experience of this museum in a previous installment so I won't expand much further on its earlier glowing review. This trip was both an excuse to practice my Russian on the subject of the country's history and politics and a chance to finish my tour of the museums exhibitions. I'd yet to see the extensive range of artifacts on the Civil War (unfortunately lacking in the generally commendable provision of English translations found here) or Lenin's study and temporary housing of the party in the interim between the February revolution and 'July Days' of 1917 when Lenin and his fellow Bolsheviks could enjoy temporary respite from persecution. Both on the second floor they were also joined by what appeared to be a temporary exhibition on the opening month of the Second World War and the division (and destruction) of Poland by German and Soviet forces.
Returning to the theme proposed by the title of todays post, I was also introduced to an important insight into the culture of the Russian language during the mornings class. The prevalance of the 'passive construction' in every day speech - terminology that was unfortunately lost on me initially in English never mind the Russian equivalent...damn state schooling! - derives from a Russian mentality that seeks to avoid "responsibility" at every opportunity.
On a practical level this has allowed me to understand the significance of constructions such as 'можно' ("It is possible") that dominate my early experiences of the language. This extends much further though and offers the opportunity to essentially remove the subject (you or I) from the action, i.e. 'who' is responsible for 'what'. Suddenly "I want" becomes something closer to "It is desirable to me". The significance isn't immediately visible until you begin (one begins to?) to think about making demands of another Russian. "Can you close the door?" becomes "Could the door be closed, by you?" reminiscant of the convaluted ways of speech possible in the interest of English politeness.
Anyway I Googled the phenomenom after class and came up with this telling article on the logical conclusion it can reach. Revealing stuff! Unfortunately it does mean I face the prospect of an infinitely larger workload if I'm to speak like a Russian and not just look like one!
I've described my experience of this museum in a previous installment so I won't expand much further on its earlier glowing review. This trip was both an excuse to practice my Russian on the subject of the country's history and politics and a chance to finish my tour of the museums exhibitions. I'd yet to see the extensive range of artifacts on the Civil War (unfortunately lacking in the generally commendable provision of English translations found here) or Lenin's study and temporary housing of the party in the interim between the February revolution and 'July Days' of 1917 when Lenin and his fellow Bolsheviks could enjoy temporary respite from persecution. Both on the second floor they were also joined by what appeared to be a temporary exhibition on the opening month of the Second World War and the division (and destruction) of Poland by German and Soviet forces.
Returning to the theme proposed by the title of todays post, I was also introduced to an important insight into the culture of the Russian language during the mornings class. The prevalance of the 'passive construction' in every day speech - terminology that was unfortunately lost on me initially in English never mind the Russian equivalent...damn state schooling! - derives from a Russian mentality that seeks to avoid "responsibility" at every opportunity.
On a practical level this has allowed me to understand the significance of constructions such as 'можно' ("It is possible") that dominate my early experiences of the language. This extends much further though and offers the opportunity to essentially remove the subject (you or I) from the action, i.e. 'who' is responsible for 'what'. Suddenly "I want" becomes something closer to "It is desirable to me". The significance isn't immediately visible until you begin (one begins to?) to think about making demands of another Russian. "Can you close the door?" becomes "Could the door be closed, by you?" reminiscant of the convaluted ways of speech possible in the interest of English politeness.
Anyway I Googled the phenomenom after class and came up with this telling article on the logical conclusion it can reach. Revealing stuff! Unfortunately it does mean I face the prospect of an infinitely larger workload if I'm to speak like a Russian and not just look like one!
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