Taking The Russian Language Easily
Dear reader!
Learning and mastering a language can be one of the most useful, and perhaps one of the most fulfilling, of life’s activities.
You feel a sense of true success and excitement when you have used a phrase particularly well.
It generates much self confidence.
And the success depends to a large extent on partners.
Sure the poets and the great writers rate as the finest teachers and partners we have.
There is a rhyme by Ogden Nesh in English and in Russian:
On Life lines on Facing Forty
by Ogden Nash
I have a bone to pick with Fate
Come here and tell me, girly,
Do you think my mind is maturing late,
Or simply rotted early?
Мне Сорок
Вот камень преткновенья.
Приди, скажи сама.
Иль поздно повзрослел я,
Иль выжил из ума?
* * *
Ах! если ты меня поймёшь,
Прости свободные намеки;
Пусть истину скрывает ложь:
Что ж делать? — Все мы человеки!..
М.Ю.Лермонтов
______________
There is a close translation:
Oh! if you’ll understand me
Forgive me for free hints:
Let a lie hides the truth:
But there it is! (in the sense of "there is no help for it") — We are all just people!..
by M.Y. Lermontov
******************
Who is taking languages easily? Have you ever thought about it?
Everyone knows some children begin talking late, especially boys.
And then the first kids love books can help a lot.
There is a rhyme for children in Russian:
- Гуси-гуси! (Geese-Geese!)
- Га-га-га! (Ga-ga-ga!)
- Есть хотите? (Do you want to eat?)
- Да-да-да! (Yes-yes,-yes!)
- Ну, идите! (Come here!)
- Ой-ой-ой! (ouch-ouch-ouch!)
Серый волк под горой (There is the big bad wolf submontane)
не пускает нас домой. (doesn’t let us go home)
When Andrew was one years old his mom said:
- Geese-Geese!
- Ga-ga-ga!, — said little Andrew.
- Do you want to eat?
Deep thought paused for a moment’s reflection:
" Don’t," he said decidedly.
The unexpected answer made the audience roar of laughter.
Now Andrew is ten yes old.
They continue to ask questions to him.
They take his questions seriously.
Many adults may envy him his language.
