Learning Russian language

Thread: Learning Russian language

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  1. jandros's Avatar

    jandros said:

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    S_jazz, thanks for the really great help with pronunciation! I've seen a dozen different descriptions, but yours are the absolute best! Actually it's hard to find good explanations for the soft sounds like ль and нь, so thanks especially for that

    I only have 1 small suggestion: Isn't it better to say that the stressed O is more like "bowl"? English "ball" is pronounced a little more like Russian "бал" (dance party) ... I think! ... I'm not 100% sure, but maybe "bowl" is a little better to use as an example?

    I also have a question: Is Russian "X" is ever pronounced like a hard "K", and I mean closing the throat completely? Or is it always soft? Between English K and H?

    Hi Suzan!
    I have a good friend who lives near you!
    Having problems with vertigo for 2-3 days ... it's temporary, a mild case and it will pass, but for now I can't stay on the computer as much as normal :-/ ...
     
  2. s_jazz's Avatar

    s_jazz said:

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    Jandros, I'm really glad if my explanation helps you
    About "ball" and russian "бал". As I remember, in English "ball" "a" sounds like long "o"? Am i right? If it so, you can't say that "ball" = бал, caz in russian "бал" is russian "A" sound.
    So, "ball" will sound in russian like "боолл", and russian "бал" will sound in English like "bul".
    And you can use "bowl" like an example, leaving the sound "u" [boul], am I right in pronounciation?

    Simply, russian stressed "O" is like English sound "O"
     
  3. s_jazz's Avatar

    s_jazz said:

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    About russian sound "X". I'll try to find it's description, but I think, that the throat isn't closed completely. Russian "X" is like in the middle of English voiced "H" (heat) and russian "K". Maybe, the cough will be the good example to describe russian "X"
     
  4. s_jazz's Avatar

    s_jazz said:

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    Try to explain very hard russian sound "Ы".
    Pronunciating the sound "И" (which is similar to english sound "I"), put your flat tongue more lower - in the middle of your mouth and try to make round your throat, imaging that you're an opera singer
     
  5. jandros's Avatar

    jandros said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by s_jazz View Post
    Jandros, I'm really glad if my explanation helps you
    About "ball" and russian "бал". As I remember, in English "ball" "a" sounds like long "o"? ...
    No, English "ball" sounds like short o. Actually I think British/UK English makes the word "ball" sound little more like "bowl" ..... the British round the "a" just a little more than Americans ..... but the "a" in "ball" is definitely like short o, not long o.

    Maybe I can help English-speakers just a tiny bit with "Ы": There's an old English word (but not a real word) "Phooie!" ... like you just ate something that tastes bad ... but if you say it really fast (but also flatten the tongue as you said) then I think it sounds little bit like "Ы"
    Having problems with vertigo for 2-3 days ... it's temporary, a mild case and it will pass, but for now I can't stay on the computer as much as normal :-/ ...
     
  6. s_jazz's Avatar

    s_jazz said:

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    Jandros, I'm a fool, ball sounds like short o, really...))
    Actually I think British/UK English makes the word "ball" sound little more like "bowl" ..... the British round the "a" just a little more than Americans
    Ah, I see....that's why "ball" isn't a good example....
    Maybe I can help English-speakers just a tiny bit with "Ы": There's an old English word (but not a real word) "Phooie!" ... like you just ate something that tastes bad ... but if you say it really fast (but also flatten the tongue as you said) then I think it sounds little bit like "Ы"
    Very interesting, can you give its pronunciation?
     
  7. jandros's Avatar

    jandros said:

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    Oh yes, I forgot to do that! It's more simple than it looks: "Fui". In English the accent is very much on the "u", so it's really not a good example. But in English there is nothing really like "Ы", so I think it takes a lot of experimenting for an English speaker to get it right. It's almost the same problem as Turkish "ü", which is very hard for a native-English speaker to pronounce.

    I practice "Ы" a lot, but I know that I still don't say it correctly.
    Having problems with vertigo for 2-3 days ... it's temporary, a mild case and it will pass, but for now I can't stay on the computer as much as normal :-/ ...
     
  8. viciousz_love's Avatar

    viciousz_love said:

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    thank you very much! the ы letter i can pronounce. I can also pronounce the х letter thanks so much for the help with the soft consonants

    i still have a problem, but i have a friend who is helping me with them.
    thank you so much!
     
  9. tim2286's Avatar

    tim2286 said:

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    @jandros: How about the name Phil the "i" sound is pretty close to "Ы". I dont know if you have the stereotypical southern accent and say "feel" though lol
     
  10. boubou said:

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    What I enjoyed while starting with Russian, was to discover that the vowels (10) come in pairs of 2.
    What I mean:
    А - Я
    Э - Е
    Ы - И
    О - Ё
    У - Ю

    Notice that the pronunciation of the first column is kind of 'clear' let's say, while the pronounciation of the second column is mixed with y at the beginning (ya, ye, yi, yo, you)
    Imagination is more important than knowledge.
    A. Einstein
     
  11. vuoklis's Avatar

    vuoklis said:

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    the pronouncation of И is simply like in "lee", i doubt it fits in that column...
     
  12. s_jazz's Avatar

    s_jazz said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by jandros View Post
    Oh yes, I forgot to do that! It's more simple than it looks: "Fui". In English the accent is very much on the "u", so it's really not a good example. But in English there is nothing really like "Ы", so I think it takes a lot of experimenting for an English speaker to get it right. It's almost the same problem as Turkish "ü", which is very hard for a native-English speaker to pronounce.

    I practice "Ы" a lot, but I know that I still don't say it correctly.
    Jandros, it's very funny, we have in Russian almost identical word with the same meaning - "Фу" or "Фууууу"
    And about "Phooie" like the example for learning "ы": i found one forum, on which it's said how to teach a foreigner to pronounce "Ы": to say russian "у" without stretching out lips, and then say unstressed sound [ǝ] like on the end of the word "fire". It's very similar to your example )))

    Viciousz_love, you're welcome )

    Boubou, you can teach russian
    Last edited by s_jazz; 03-14-2009 at 10:57 AM.
     
  13. jandros's Avatar

    jandros said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by tim2286 View Post
    @jandros: How about the name Phil the "i" sound is pretty close to "Ы". I dont know if you have the stereotypical southern accent and say "feel" though lol
    I was born and grew up in the south, but I lost most of my southern accent becuz I traveled away from home for too long ... but I would say that words like "quill" come closer than the name Phil. However, I think s_jazz offered the best most understandable explanation that I've heard yet! .....
    Having problems with vertigo for 2-3 days ... it's temporary, a mild case and it will pass, but for now I can't stay on the computer as much as normal :-/ ...
     
  14. jandros's Avatar

    jandros said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by s_jazz View Post
    ... i found one forum, on which it's said how to teach a foreigner to pronounce "Ы": to say russian "у" without stretching out lips, and then say unstressed sound [ǝ] ....
    Excellent, thank you! I say "excellent" because I have a lot of trouble saying "ты" properly, because the lips don't move ... isn't that true? ... but with that easy explanation, mystery solved! At least for me
    Having problems with vertigo for 2-3 days ... it's temporary, a mild case and it will pass, but for now I can't stay on the computer as much as normal :-/ ...
     
  15. viciousz_love's Avatar

    viciousz_love said:

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    question!

    please correct me!

    Меня завут ....... my name is ... (they call me ... )
    Тебя завут ........ your name is .... (they call you ... )
    Вас завут ......... your name is .... (they call you ..)

    yes?
     
  16. tim2286's Avatar

    tim2286 said:

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    just a minor spelling error it's "зовут" in all 3 cases.
     
  17. viciousz_love's Avatar

    viciousz_love said:

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    thanks

    that's another thing. spelling rules are with the changes of the stressed and unstressed О and А
     
  18. s_jazz's Avatar

    s_jazz said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by jandros View Post
    Excellent, thank you! I say "excellent" because I have a lot of trouble saying "ты" properly, because the lips don't move ... isn't that true? ... but with that easy explanation, mystery solved! At least for me
    Jandros, yes, the lips really don't move
     
  19. viciousz_love's Avatar

    viciousz_love said:

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    what would be an accurate pronunciation of the word blyat?
     
  20. kolbaskina's Avatar

    kolbaskina said:

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    viciousz_love
    b - is b)
    lya - like l'a in l'amour
    t - soft t, the same is in the end of many english words, for example site, soft, gift) I hope this is understandable explanation ))

    but don't use this word, please
    нам ніколи, мабуть, не дійти до межі,
    за якою немає ні смутку, ні страху...

    Bizim gibi delilere her gün bayram