Russian - Language and Culture
| Day of Meetings | Fortnightly, Thursdays |
| Time | 10:30 - 12:30 |
| Venues | Various Home Addresses |
| Leaders | Chris Devereux is the main point of contact. However, each session is led by each group member on a rota basis. |
| Telephone | 01704 566933 or 07985 293791 |
| Click the link to email: | Russian - Language and Culture leader |
Pу́сский Язы́к
Currently, we are meeting on-line via Zoom and are being joined in some of our sessions by Liudmila Marinina, a Professor of Media English at one of St Petersburg`s universities. We had been reading in Russian a wonderful, edited version of the classic novel Anna Karyenina and studying the grammar of the novel in its natural context. In January 2021, we began reading Lyermontov`s `A Hero of Our Time` and `next-up` will be Gogol`s `Taras Bulba`. Following our virtual tea/coffee breaks, we move into the cultural sections of the sessions. These are organised by the group members; again on a rota system
We are a mixed group, with some of our members new to the language and some having had experience of it for many years. We are continuing our focus on extending our conversations, having learned to read, pronounce and write the letters of the Cyrillic Alphabet and to recognise Russian basic vocabulary. Each group member organises his/her session on a rota basis.
During our early group of sessions, during the cultural sections, we watched internet video footage of for example, the Siege of Leningrad, tours of St Petersburg, Peterhof, the incredible Hermitage Museum and the Bolshoi and Maly Theatres in Moscow.
We have explored the most famous works of Russian literature, theatre and music and even invited native Russian speakers to talk to us about their `Motherland`. Also, as an important part of the cultural sections of our sessions, we have organised Summer and Winter Study Days in various beautiful locations in Lancashire to promote `The Grey Economy`, organised visits to local theatres to see performances of Russian dramas and even seen streamed performances of the Bolshoi Ballet here in Southport.
Our aim has always been to use our language skills in a practical way and so it was wonderful to be able to use our learning in simple but confident conversations during our June 2017 Titan Travel-guided holiday to Moscow and St Petersburg.
The language is difficult to learn but we do have great fun!!!
So, if you like a challenge and have any questions, then please contact me by email
Best wishes,
Chris Devereux
www.devereuxeducation.co.uk
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