Product Description
This pocket-size book lists approximately 6,000 words in English with translations into Russian. Words are divided into several different categories and listed alphabetically within each category. Categories include greetings, numbers, measurements, moods and emotions, driving situations, travel situations, sports, foods, shopping, phoning, and many others. All titles in BarronÂ's foreign language Vocabulary Series include pronunciation guides and a bilingual andalphabetical quick Wordfinder section.BarronÂ's Vocabulary books are useful studentsÂ' classroom supplements as well as handy travelersÂ' aids. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

good little book, wide variety of vocab
I bought this book for my sister when she entered first-year Russian, to go along with her Oxford Russian Dictionary. I've taken a few years of Russian myself, and what I like about this book is the way you can flip through and pick up new vocabulary on the go. I've also found it's available at a variety of big-box bookstores. It's small type but the print is clean and the book feels nice. If you're looking for something to build vocabulary, this is a solid and compact choice -- it had new words for my sister in her first year, and me in my third year alike!

Russian Vocabulary
This is a great book for study when you don't have much time.The vocabulary is grouped by category, so you can learn all about vegetables while you're eating lunch.This also eliminates a lot of flipping pages since everything is on the same page.It also works well as a regular dictionary.Very compact but the font size is a little small for some eyes.If you can't read small print you might want to pass on this one.

Barron's Russian Vocabulary
I found that this book was very helpful in understanding some basic words and when it was given the english equivalent.However since I am attending a Russian class, it is helpful to know the pronunciation of the basic alphabet and how certain characters make certain symbols sound different. Otherwise I really like this book and intend on getting a couple more formy comrades. Good Luck !(zhy-lah-yuu-dah-chi) ... Read more

Product Description
All the Russian words and phrases the traveller is likely to need, plus signs, menu terms, standard zeplies and the basics of grammar and pronunciation clearly presented. ... Read more

Product Description
Using Russian is a guide to Russian usage for those who have already acquired the basics of the language and wish to extend their knowledge. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to those areas of vocabulary and grammar which cause most difficulty to English speakers, and focuses on questions of style and register which are all too often ignored. Clear, readable and easy to consult, it will prove invaluable to students seeking to improve their fluency and confidence in Russian. This second edition has been substantially revised and expanded to incorporate fresh material and up-to-date information.Many of the original chapters have been rewritten and one brand new chapter has been added, providing a clear picture of Russian usage in the 21st century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Warning
This book has way higher expectations than I thought. This book expects you to have the vocabulary of a five year old and a good understanding of all Russian grammar rules and such just to start it. I recommend this book, Essential Russian Grammar, if you understand and memorize all this little book has to offer then this book, using Russian: a guide to contemporary usage, will be a lot more useful. Besides that most of the stuff in book is really rather pointless to a person studying Russian, it offers some stuff you need to know but besides that it is all about debates over what is considered correct some where and is incorrect somewhere else so I would consider it a finisher book for someone who is close or right on the edge of no longer needing to study Russian.
Most of this stuff you could learn from a Russian penpal or something of that nature. Besides that its pretty much to be used for people who fluently speak Russian but want to perfect it, like a college student or someone with more time on their hands then what they know what to do with. All in all I recommend this book only because it has some valuable information that you could only get from a native speaker but you must speak Russian at least at a level of a five year old to be able to appreciate its true value.

Awesome book that is a must for any Russian speaker
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R21YUO7JJZRTAY The best book for the middle and advanced Russian Speaker, tells you how to use everything you learned in class. Has comprehensive lists of everything from all the ways to say Happy Birthday to Good night (plus swear words!)

Great price and excellent shipping
The book arrived well on time and in excellent condition.The price was the best I'd seen from any of the online retailers I viewed.

Wow! Very helpful!
It is an amazing and helpful book. It really is a guide to using contemporary Russian. The best book I purchased in 2007. I use it often. It is one of the five important books for learning Russian. What do I list as the five book? Wade's A Comprehensive Russian Grammar, Wade'sUsing Russian Synonyms, Beyer's Pronounce it Perfectly in Russian, a dictionary and this book.

If you want to master Russian as a secound language, this book is a major help.

Ya sovsyem soglasen
There's not a whole lot I can say about this book that hasn't already been said. I noticed, however, that most of the reviews were written before the second edition of this book was published. Rest assured that Mr. Offord has made a great book on Russian even greater.

Perhaps the most useful part of the new edition is the section on computer and Internet terminology in Russian, a lexicon that is conspicuously absent from most of my other Russian books. Thanks to the revision, this volume is now every bit the contemporary usage guide its subtitle indicates. And if you want an idea of just how authoritative the book is, the Schaum's Outline of Russian Grammar (which has earned five stars practically across the board) lists "Using Russian" as its source forthe entire chapter on Russian prepositions. And the prepositions section of "Using Russian" is only a tiny fraction of its rich repository.

The only drawback to this book is that it is a bit expensive, especially for a paperback, but it will reward you with a constant return on your investment. No serious Russian student's reference library should be without it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Indispensable for anyone who wants to master Russian
Íà ñâåòå ñ÷àñòüÿ íåò, íî åñòü ïîêîé è Âîëüâî!

If you saw an ad for Volvo in a Russian magazine, would you understand the play on words? A Russian would. If you're a Russian-to-English translator, The Russian Context is the book you've always wanted (even if you didn't know that you wanted it). Its aim is to help nonnative speakers learn many of the things that they would know if they had grown up speaking Russian. It is a sequel to The Russian's World, also by Genevra Gerhart, but whereas The Russian's World focused on things like how a samovar works or what Russians call the different playing cards, this new book focuses on the knowledge of history and culture that a typical educated Russian would likely have.

The book is broken down into chapters indicating what Russians know about history, what poetry they are likely to have memorized, what famous lines from Russian prose and children's literature they can recite by heart, what proverbs they are likely to quote, what they know about geography, science, music, art, theatre, dance, and popular entertainment.

We all know that educated Russians can recite Pushkin by heart, but did you know that if you drop by a Russian's house for a very short visit, the Russian will probably say "Íó, òû êàê ìèìîëåòíîå âèäåíüå!" (quoting Pushkin's famous poem "ß ïîìíþ ÷óäíîå ìãíîâåíüå")? The marvelous thing about this book is that it not only tells you what Russians know, but also gives you examples of how that knowledge is drawn up in advertisements, joke, word play, etc. For example, an article in Ogonek is entitled «Papa Rimskiy o vremeni i o sebe.». This is a veiled reference to a line in a poem by Mayakovsky.

One of the best chapters in the book is devoted to proverbs and frequent sayings. Not only does it translate them, but it also explains where the saying comes from and when it is likely to be used. The chapter on films not only describes the movie, but also lists famous lines that Russians are likely to quote. Of great interest to translators is the chapter on scientific vocabulary, which shows how scientific vocabulary in Russian is made up of prefixed and suffixed roots. Also useful for translating government documents is the chapter explaining the various Russian agencies, the branches of the military. In short, it is hard to imagine how a Russian translator or interpreter can get along without this book. It is worth dipping into over and over again.


... Read more

Product Description
Written for beginning Russian students

Russian: Face to Face (Morris, Vyatyutnev, and Vokhmina) applies the latest in communicative methodology and is illustrated with up-to-date photographs, drawing, realia, and maps. Twenty chapters at each level help teach a wealth of language functions that develop and expand your students’ ability to communicate in a range of situations.

The fully integrated components—including textbooks workbooks, audiocassettes, and videos—forms a proven program that develops communicative skills. It is 496 pages in length. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

God Bless Amazon and Tacoma Goodwill!
Great service. Received it right away and am putting it to good use learning Russian.
Thank you for your wonderful service. You outshine all the major book stores!

Russian language text
If you are trying to learn a language-on your own- like russian, this is a perfect help. I was lucky to find the accompanying teacher's textbook- although listed a 'used' it was in near perfect condition. Forget a $500 Rosetta program- this workbook was great.

russian student
This book is a little dated. It can be useful for a begginer with zero russian, but my friends in Russia laughed when they saw it and asked why americans were learning vocabulary that has not been used in Russia since communism ended.

Russian face to face review
I bought this book for my Russian language course and am very pleased with the ease of the content.I had some self study in Russian but was unable to make alot of progress,with this book and the workbook I find it very easy to learn Russian.However,I must say that if you are not comitted to learning and spending the time to do so it will be aggrivating,so believe in yourself work hard and you can have alot of fun.I made flash cards of the cyrillic alphabet with the english sounds on the back to help learn pronunciation.Good luck.

Good, but out-dated
I use this book for an independent study course, and found it easy to use. However, it is somewhat out-dated. It lacks the ability to give you the knowledge to have a very nice conversation. Also, the book was published in 1995 and is slightly tacky. It is full badly drawn illustrations and lacks any real good pictures. One is left with the idea that Russians don't like photos taken of them, or that only rather odd looking people pose for photos. But, it is still a good book to learn the basics of the Russian language. In fact, the way the material is presented and learned is almost flawless. I would reccommend this book to beginners that want to learn the bascs at more than a travel level. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a dual-language book with the Russian text on the left side, and the English text on the right side of each spread. The texts are precisely synchronized. A great book for learning both languages while reading a Russian classic masterpiece. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn Russian in 4 Simple Steps.

With Living Language Complete Russian: The Basics, you’ll start by learning words, and then you’ll progress to phrases, sentences, and conversations. This simple four-step building block approach will have you speaking with confidence right from the beginning, and you’ll be able to learn gradually and effectively. If you’re confident in your pronunciation, then this coursebook includes everything you need - vocabulary, grammar, culture, and practice.

This comprehensive coursebook includes:
• 40 step-by-step lessons
• Practical vocabulary and authentic everyday usage
• Simple explanations and plenty of examples
• Supplemental sections, including e-mail and internet resources
• A comprehensive grammar reference section ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good Book - Good Course - Good Reference
This is my first sincere try at learning a foreign language without any classroom instruction. By reading and following the steps outlined in this course book I learn and absorb material at my own pace. What is facinating is not only learning Russian, but this work has inspired me to learn about their people, and culture. This is a very affordable first step in learning and in the end understanding will bring us all closer together. This is truly a good value, and is well written. Thank You Amazon, You are great people to do business with, and I will return. GREAT DEAL !

Not good for beginners
This set is not a good learning set for the beginner.The book is nice, but the cds are not helpful at all.The words in Russian by the male and female speaker is spoken once, while you look at the book, and then the English translation is spoken right after.I returned this, and will go with something else.

Complete Russian: The Basics (BK) (Complete Basic Courses)
We only received the book we did NOT receive the CD and Dictionary.
WE would appreciate receiving those 2 items.

Who are the speakers?
This would be at least a four star Russian language package except that, as the first reviewer indicated, the accent needs to be assimilated elsewhere.I cannot imagine how it can be good to train your ear (especially if you are a beginner) on a cd set in which the Russian accent is not native.In addition to the accent issue, the sound of the male speaker's voice is harsh and almost cacophonous.I say this in surprise because normally listening to a Russian voice is a genuine pleasure for me, but I find I want to turn this cd off.The general method of language acquisition they are using, however, is sound. Change the speakers and this would be a valuable set.Not recommended.

Excellent to start with
I checked out this book with discs from the library, then decided to get the book for myself for future reference.It is perfect to start out with, but I strongly recommend that it be used in conjuction with Pimsleur IA and IB at least.Pimsleur's strength is that it instills the accent and conversational ability thru logical repetition; however, it lacks a broad vocabulary and much grammatical explanation which Living Language courses provide, starting with this one. ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains The Kreutzer Sonata, Leo Tolstoy's afterword to The Kreutzer Sonata, and The Death of Ivan Ilyich. This is a dual-language book with the Russian text on the left side, and the English text on the right side of each spread. The texts are precisely synchronized. A great book for learning both languages while reading a Russian classic masterpiece. Translated by Professor Leo Wiener, and Louise and Aylmer Maude; verified and corrected by Alexander Vassiliev. ... Read more

Product Description
Bring Russian language learning alive with this 32-page brilliantly illustrated book with companion audio CD. Listen, learn and sing along with classic songs for children in this new dual language format. A perfect place to start exploring the Russian language with children of all ages! ... Read more

Product Description
Comprehensive Russian I includes 30 lessons of essential grammar and vocabulary -- 16 hours of real-life spoken practice sessions -- plus an introduction to reading.

Upon completion of this Level I program, you will have functional spoken proficiency with the most-frequently-used vocabulary and grammatical structures. You will be able to:

* initiate and maintain face-to-face conversations,

* deal with every day situations -- ask for information, directions, and give basic information about yourself and family,

* communicate basic information on informal topics and participate in casual conversations,

* avoid basic cultural errors and handle minimum courtesy and travel requirements,

* satisfy personal needs and limited social demands,

* establish rapport with strangers in foreign countries,

* begin reading and sounding out items with native-like pronunciation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Great Introduction for Beginners
If you are a beginner in Russian, this course will give you an inexpensive taste of the Pimsleur method so you can decide if you want to invest time and money into their more extensive courses.If you are an absolute beginner, I would recommend combining this course with the Earworms one (also sold on Amazon).I found that they work well together to help you break into this complex language. The only way to learn a language is to hear it over and over again, so every vantage point you can get helps.It is important to find out if you want to go further in Russian before you invest a lot of money, so this is a very good place to start.I hope to go on to their full courses. What I like about Pimsleur (I have used their French and Italian courses fairly extensively) is that it can all be done by listening.Of course you can look at the text from time to time but the bulk of the work is in audio (I load it on my iPod). That point has kept me from Rosetta - the bulk of their system is on the computer and I already spend all day on a keyboard.I want to learn while I walk/jog/run and fold clothes!With this very low price you have nothing to lose by trying this course.

Very good in grammar details, but how to do this without an overall background?
I am a polyglot and a Pimsleur enthusiast.I start all the languages I can with Pimsleur.I have learned a decent amount of Russian in the past, but the endings and conjugations are hard to retain long-term, I am going through the 3 levels, listening to 3-4 per day.
Suggested strategy for beginners: buy 'teach yourself Russian' or 'colloquial Russian'.In one book they present a fair amount of grammar and vocabulary, but they leave it up to figure out how to retain the hugely difficult Russian grammar.Go through it more or less, so that you know the grammatical framework: 3 genders, completion-repetition verbs, 6 cases, how pronouns work, see conjugation lists. (also [...])Then use the 3 pimsleur levels.You will hear at some point all of these features in multiple repetitions and detail. The pimsleur vocabulary is limited, but the grammar can be mastered. If you do one lesson per day, you will be in decent grammatical shape in 90 days.Then go back to the previous book and study it again with its audio in slow-down mode (buy the transcend 860 mp3 player for that). You will then learn the vocabulary you need for decent communication and put it all together much more easily.

The one problem for a complete beginner is that you don't know for sure sometimes what you hear on Pimsleur, because some sounds are unclear, and the method has no transcripts. (There are some reading lessons at the end, very limited stuff.)Some people have made vocabulary lists and put on the internet, try to find them.

Not what I expected
Thought that there may be a bit more detail. Dont buy this product if you expect to learn to speak Russian before going there on holiday

excellent series
This is a great way to learn.I listen in my car every day on the way to and from work.

Russian:Learn to Speak and Understand Russian with Pimsleur
This is not a CD for beginners. I have studied Russian at school 30 years ago and simply wanted to refresh my memory. This CD was perfect for that. Except for the first chapter, I wouldn't recommend it to people who are just starting to learn the language . ... Read more

Product Description
Basic Russian: A Grammar and Workbook is an accessible reference grammar that includes related exercises in the same volume. It introduces Russian people and culture throughthe language as it is used today, covering the core material which learners would expect to encounter in their first year of learning Russian. Each chapter presents one or more grammar topics, illustrated by examples which serve as models for the wide-ranging and varied exercises which follow. These exercises enable the learner to master the relevant grammar points and provide the foundation for enhanced aptitude with the language. Suitable for independent use, Basic Russian is a perfect companion for anyone with a real interest in learning Russian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nowhere near worth the price
This is the most boring exercise book I have ever used. Besides that, there are spelling errors, editing errors, and exercises that are irrelevant to the subject covered. There is no innovation in presenting the material. Nouns in the glossary are not marked with their gender. I live in Ukraine. I bought the Intermediate edition (which doesn't even have a glossary and is even thinner) at the same time. After shipping and customs fees were added to an already over-priced book each volume cost more than $50. I wouldn't pay $15 for it in a book store.
My advice: buy something else.

Not a Stand-Alone book
I was looking for a course book when I bought this - however, it is only a grammar book. You will not receive any introductory instruction on the alphabet, handwriting, or pronounciation.Even vocabulary is hardly explained.

It is a grammar workbook in the strict sense. The first page of the book is instruction on gender declensions. It is presumed that you can read the cyrillic.

For what is is, it appears to be a good book, though it is clearly not meant to be used alone.Also, from the word "workbook" I presumed it would include pages or space to "work" in, or to write in answers. This is not the case. There are just questions under tightly-printed sections called "exercises".

I'm going to keep the book. I believe it will be useful to me as a reference. However in not understooding what it actually was before I bought it, I will need to find a true course textbook to supplement this.

Basic Russian, a grammar and workbook.
Despite its title Basic Russian is probably best suited for the student who already has a basic knowledge of the Russian language. Without any accompanying cassettes, beginning students may well have considerable difficulty with pronunciation. That aside, this book is concise and clearlypresented. As the title suggests, it contains both a grammar guide and anaccompanying workbook which makes learning the material much easier. BasicRussian also contains a handy vocabulary list of everyday words, as well asseveral appendices such as a glossary of technical terms and a list ofspelling rules. By using up-to-date language (both Russian and English),and a straightforward layout, this is a very good reference work for anyonewho is already studying Russian. I recommend it be used along with someaudio material. ... Read more

Product Description
Each point of grammar and structure is explained simply, and illustrated with examples, in this powerful study guide. The next-best thing to a private tutor, this book makes even difficult topics like declensions clear. Students begin by mastering the Cyrillic alphabet and correct pronunciation. The many practice exercises start readers using thislanguage in everyday situations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

The best of the best
Schaum's Outline of Russian Grammar by Dr James Levine is the best source available for students of this challenging language.I began using this book as an undergraduate student of Russian.I have since lived in Russia and am currently employed as a translator.As such, I have used this book while in the infancy of my study of the language (e.g. I barely knew the alphabet) to today (i.e. working as a Russian-English translator).I can readily attest to the great frequency in which I still consult the pages of Russian Grammar.
My highest recommendation stands by this work:A great source for beginners, intermediate, advanced and teachers of Russian.

Looks like a good, drill, exercise and review book
I bought this book because I wanted some books to study, after I finished Beginning Russian, by Richard Leed and Alexander Nakhimovsky.I have not yet finished, so I haven't started reading and studying from this book yet.But the book looks comprehensive, and a good complement and continuation of my basic Russian studies.

Straight Foreward
It is a very well written and well explained rules of this difficult language. It is staight foreward to the point explantion of all the grammatical rules that are needed to learn or even master the Russian Language. It makes a perfect complementary book for a textbook of learning the language. The only thing that I wish it had was if it had come with an audio cd as an outline of all the rules to hear how words especially at the end,change pronounciation under different cases. The price was right given how good the book was.

making russian easier
I had purchased this gramma book for myself over a year ago.Found explanations and exercises strengthened by Russian skills.Only let down being there was not a dictionary in the back of the text for the words used throughout.Nevertheless this is a very useful text to have and therefore purchased an identical copy for a very dear friend who is doing Russian.

A very difficult book to follow
A good book, but...why does the author use italics to highlight the words he is trying to make some grammatical point about?I know I need to eventually learn italics (5 small Russian letters don't look anything like the standard letters) but not now. ... Read more

Product Description
A Complete Lesson Book and Reference Guide
Lively, up-to-date, authentic dialogues
Clear explanations of grammar
Cultural highlights
Business vocabulary & etiquette
plus
Grammar summary
Two-way glossary

Developed by the experts at Living Language, this book offers a highly effective combination of advanced conversational Russian with grammar and culture. This sequel to the Basic to Intermediate Ultimate Russian book covers the equivalent of two years of college-level study.

Product Description
An ideal introduction to the language and culture of Russia, Russian Language and People is an integrated multi-media course for beginners. As well as teaching you to communicate in and understand Russian, this course provides an accessible introduction to the written language. There are also plenty of fascinating insights into modern Russia and traditional customs.Whether learning at home or in a class, Russian Language and People can help you to reach the equivalent level of a first qualification, such as GCSE. Course Book* Fully revised third edition includes up-to-date cultural information about life in Russia * Introduces useful new language in a relevant context * Entertaining and informal approach makes learning enjoyable 192-page course book ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent introduction to Russian!
This book is an excellent introduction to Russian language and culture! Going by themes such as food, and taking a train, it's a great summary of everything a person going to Russia from a month-long trip or 6 months English speaking attachment would need to survive, without going in too deep. I would bring the book along in place of a phrasebook; it can serve the same purpose, and goes beyond, including a glossary of all the vocab found and general trivia that would be helpful in conversations with Russians. It's light too, however this is also because it does not come in nice heavy paper and colour unlike some other textbooks.

Also useful as foundation for someone who intends to learn Russian formally. Just start on this diligently about two months in advance. working on one chapter every two nights (there are 20) with some time left for revision, and you'll be well placed to follow and enjoy your lessons.

One good, or bad thing is that it doesn't introduce the whole alphabet at once. Thus the first few chapters can be rather annoying, with a mix of Russian characters (in bold) and English phonetics for the Russian words, until all the alphabet is known. But after Chapter 5 it's alright. Also, which can't be helped because it's a crash course, you aren't given the principles behind some of the grammar. You just have to memorise them diligently without understanding because the later chapters get too difficult to work through if you don't.

This book MUST be used with the CD. No point getting one without the other. If the BBC could have some additional support site on its languages website, that would be great. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Useful book
The hardest thing with Russian is not the alphabet, nor even the grammar, which is complicated but regular. The hardest thing in my opinion is the vocabulary. It is hard to learn new Russian words and hard to build a decent vocabulary. This book really helps. It lists alphabetically all the most useful Russian roots and shows how the root occurs in a number of different words. Five to ten sentences varying in difficulty illustrate how the same root occurs in different words. With practice it is possible to begin to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words. Moreover by connecting new words to a common root, I found it easier to learn the new words. For those who have already reached a fairly good level of Russian this book is really useful. It takes a good deal of patience to work through the examples, but I think it is worth it as the study of roots may well be the key to a good understanding of Russian. Try to get hold of this book if you can.

Decent Text Book
This book was meant for the advanced student of Russian to better utilize Russian's rich vocabulary by becoming familiar with roots, prefixes, and suffixes.Using these parts of words makes it much easier to understand words you may not be familiar with.Reading in Russian becomes easier when you know roots, prefixes, and suffixes.I used this book in more than one Russian class in college and I recommend it.It does it's job.It's not fancy and the layout could use some improvement (of course, I have the July 2000 spiral-bound edition), but it does the job. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reader for beginning Russian students. "Beginner's Russian Reader" (Pargment) is a graded reader that sets the stage for studying grammar by familiarizing your students with vocabulary, usage, and structures. Oral practice for developing conversational skills is also provided. This reader is softcover, 6" A- 9", and 220 pages in length. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Great learning tool
Flash cards are a great learning tool in general, and these do not disappoint.Provides a good daily refresh.

Pretty good but could be better
This is a good tool to help memorize vocabulary if you're looking to learn Russian. You definitely can't use this as your only resource though.

Two things that would help:
Audio. (This is key because Russian isn't phonetic.) I was self-studying, and memorized a lot of words "wrong" because I hadn't heard them first.
Word list by most commonly-used words. Really, if you know a few hundred most common words you can get by in a Russian-speaking country. Memorizing this entire deck is very daunting. (That said, if you search online you can find most common word lists, and then just pull those cards out to study first.)

Good cards, not too expensive; wish they were more durable
Excellent cards to supplement a Russian course with.The people who complain about Cyrillic or the lack of a pronunciation key are off base.These cards don't replace a textbook, they supplement one.

They are made of thin cardstock and will get damaged easily.Still, at under $9 (discounted Amazon price) they're cheap enough.I'll buy a second set when I need it.

Not Satified.

These cards are not what I xpected. It is difficult(without reading
glasses), to read the xplanations, (Meanings) and are Not in alphebetical order. also, the meaning of each word is Upside down on the reverse side. I've used Much better cards).

W.A.Nicholas

Good content, poor quality.
PROS:The vocabulary cards are extensive and useful.One of the best features is the card gives you the word in English, and ALL the translations based on cases which, if you study Russian, you know can be quite a pain.

CON:The cards are made with poor quality materials.At best, they remind me of badly printed business cards from a home printer.I wanted to be able to grab a handful and carry them with me in my pocket--glancing at them during "down" time throughout the day as an ongoing learning process.Unfortunately, the "cards" are so thin they become badly worn very quickly.

SUMMARY:The cards are worth the 15 dollars--just dont' expect a durable product to arrive. ... Read more

Product Description

Russian Translation: Theory and Practice is a comprehensive practical course in translation for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of Russian. The course aims to provide intensive exposure with a view to mastering translation from Russian into English while carefully analyzing the specific problems that arise in the translation process.

Offering over 75 practical translation exercises and texts analyzed in detail to illustrate the stage-by-stage presentation of the method, Russian Translation addresses translation issues such as cultural differences, genre and translation goals. The book features material taken from a wide range of sources, including:

• journalistic
• medical
• scholarly
• legal
• economic
• popular culture – literature (prose and poetry), media, internet, humour, music.

Central grammatical and lexical topics that will be addressed across the volume through the source texts and target texts include: declensional and agreement gender; case usage; impersonal constructions; verbal aspect; verbal government; word order; Russian word formation, especially prefixation and suffixation; collocations and proverbs; and abbreviations.

Russian Translation: Theory and Practice is essential reading for all students seriously interested in improving their translation skills.

A Tutor’s Handbook for this course, giving guidance on teaching methods and assessment, as well as specimen answers, is available in PDF format from our website at http://www.routledge.com/books/Russian-Translation-isbn9780415473477.

Edna Andrews is Professor of Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology, Director of the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies at Duke University, USA.

Elena Maksimova is Associate Professor of the Practice in the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies at Duke University, USA.

Customer Reviews (1)

Not bad for a first edition
It is with some reluctance that I invest my time writing this review, knowing full well that few people will ever read my comments; after all, how many people run out and purchase a book on Russian to English translation theory?And the few buyers who do actually end up clicking on my review will no doubt be immediate dissuaded by its obvious verbosity.

I purchased this book in connection with my graduate education in Central and Eastern European Studies.As I neared the end of my graduate program, I was looking for a thesis project that might carry relevance in the eyes of potential employers.As I searched job announcements for media and intelligence analyst positions in the government sector, nearly every firm stated that qualified candidates needed to have had experience translating.Although I had lived and traveled in Russia extensively and had spent months of my life speaking nothing but Russian, had an undergraduate degree in Russian language, and had read Russian classics in the original, oddly enough, I had never tried my hand at translating.I got approval from the department to put together what turned out to be a 100 page Russian to English translation project in lieu of a conventional capstone thesis project.That project was based almost strictly on Andrews' and Maximova's new text book.

I can basically thank my lucky stars that Andrews and Maksimova had published this book in early 2010, only a few months prior to my first query on Amazon for a book on "Russian to English translation theory."Were it not for these two Duke Professors writing their book, I might have been forced to write my thesis on the "Ripening of Meat:Theory and Practice of the Process (Translation of the Russian book: Sozrevania myasa: tioria I practika potsess)" which was the next nearest match that came up in my search!So, if nothing else, the book is worth a good three stars or so based alone on the paucity of any real competition.

Before I tell you why I added another star to give it four, but didn't give it five, let me first qualify my statements by objectively describing my own Russian language abilities.I feel this is necessary because my comments on the ease or difficulty of the translation exercises provided in this book would otherwise be largely arcane to the reader of my review who may possess a higher or lower technical ability in Russian than I do.

Page xii of the text book's introduction states that "This course in translation is developed for students who have completed the equivalent of two years of college Russian.In proficiency terms, these materials are appropriate for students with a minimum rating of ACTFL Intermediate Mid, TRKI Level1, ILR 2 and can also be used productively at more advanced levels."As for me, I passed an oral proficiency interview in 2006 on the ILR scale at a level 3+ and in 2009 at a level 3, and then finally, in March 2010, I submitted myself to an oral proficiency interview with ACTFL and scored a "superior."

In other words, I easily met the minimum rating suggested by the authors and am ashamed to admit that I thought that I would breeze through the exercises in this book because of it.My experience turned out to be quite the opposite.The translation exercises in this book are no walk in the park.They require a strong knowledge of Russian and even then some of the exercises will make your mind spin.I give the authors an A+ for finding difficult translations that stretch the student to the limit.

If you are like me and are using the book in self-study fashion without the assistance of a qualified professor then you will need to find a native Russian tutor who has a reasonable knowledge of English and can offer you objective feedback on your finished translations.

I feel strongly that the authors of this book need to improve the online tutor guide that accompanies the book.It would have been nice for an amateur translator such as me to have been able to compare every one of my translations against the authors' best target text.Instead, I was only able to compare a few of my translations to the scanty few target texts that they provided in the tutoring guide and since I lacked the good fortune of having a tenured professor with an expert command of Russian to English translation experience, my project suffered a bit from lack of objective oversight.That being said, I can only express a great deal of thanks to a fellow graduate student and native Russian who read and reviewed every one of my tedious translations and provided invaluable insights (especially on the chapter about figurative meaning!).

On an entirely different note, the narratives at the beginning of each chapter that introduce different issues in the translation process are at times highly educational and I took away several gems.For instance, I never realized the degree to which irony and sarcasm pervade Russian newspaper articles.The authors were quick to point this out, warning the student to look for such instances of sarcasm and make sure that they be portrayed accurately in the target text.

On the other hand, I often found the narratives to be written in such a vexingly academic fashion that it seemed at times as if Andrews' and Maksimova's lost sight of the fact that they were writing a text book for amateur translators and not their fellow Russian Ph.d cronies who had also written 300 page dissertations on language morphology and phonology.Even with a dictionary in hand, much of what they were trying to teach seemed inaccessible to my feeble mind based on their highbrow linguistic vocabulary (I know how ridiculous that must sound seeing that this is a book about mastering the art of translation and therefore presupposes the pupils' interest in assimilating the very dictionary itself into the brain cells, but perhaps you'll agree with me if you buy the text and read it for yourself).

In any event, I still liked the book and am forever indebted to these two professors for putting together a text on a subject that had otherwise been entirely neglected.I am glad I finally tried my hand at translating and can say unequivocally that my appreciation for the complexity of the Russian language has only improved.It is one thing to read a passage or two in a classic Russian novel and understand, or claim to understand, what you are reading.It is an entirely different and more difficult thing to take that very passage and translate it into a respectable target text in English.
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Product Description
This handbook for students in the second and third years of Russian language study is devoted entirely to motion verbs.William Mahota sets up a variety of exercises and presents up-to-date examples in colloquial language to enable intermediate students to use motion verbs with facility and to participate comfortably in everyday Russian conversations. The handbook complements any standard intermediate-level textbook. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good content, no key
Russian verbs of motion are undoubtedly one of the main hurdles to overcome to become accurate and functional in the language. This book on motion verbs fills a gap left when the Khavronina version went out of print. Mahota's book is very well planned and does a very good job of explaining the verbs of motion in bite-sized chunks. Plenty of real-world, useful examples are given throughout, as well as ample opportunity to practise what you have learnt for yourself. So why three stars? Although the content is excellent, and useful for any student of Russian I would imagine, the book has no key to any of the exercises, so you can only use it with a teacher! In my opinion, the lack of key reduces the value of this book by half because no student studying by himself can use it effectively beyond the explanations, as there is no feedback for the exercises! This is a serious lack of foresight, as there are a lot of self-study language learners out there these days. Add to that the fact that you are paying 30 dollars for an incomplete book.

Outstanding Book for Students of Russian!
I've been a Russian-language teacher / learner for well over two decades now and out of the twelve books I have pertaining to Russian verbs, this is by far my favorite and the most useful for either a student or a teacher. I call myself a teacher / learner both because I have taught Russian at both the highschool, college, and university level, but because I think that learning a language is a continual process (even for one's native language) and I'm still learning happily!

For students it has a comprehensive and not-overly-complicated explanation of how Russian verbs work grammatically with coherent examples and, best of all, wonderful illustration that make comprehending the complicated (in comparison with English) Russian verb system accessible. It has easy work sheets, which can be used in the book or xeroxed for multiple uses.

For teachers, those same work sheets can be made as in-class reinforcement of the verb section in your primary textbook. It also has such wonderful explanations of how the verb system works (I wish I could explain it as wonderfully as the author does with my imperfect English) that I frequently borrow his explanations for the home-made handouts and reference sheets that I prepare for my students.

I highly recommend this book in addition to the main textbook that a student may be using or as a side study to help a student master Russian verbs. This book is especially useful when combined with "501 Russian Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses Alphabetically Arranged (501 Verbs Series)" by Thomas R., Jr. Beyer.

If you want to eventually speak Russian fluently then this book is a great way to start!

I've been told it's not completely idiomatic
It's impossible that any decent book on Russian verbs of motion wouldn't be helpful, and I think this book does a pretty good job.However, I've been told by native speakers that the language is a little awkward.

Every part of the book is worthwhile
I'm not going to say that I completely understand Russian verbs of motionafter reading this book (it'll take me a few years in the countrycontinually practicing and using them to reach that level!), but this bookis an immense help and provides a very strong base for learning the logicof Russian verbs of motion.Everything from the descriptions of the verbsand prefixes, to the exercises, to the appendices in the back of the bookare useful and very well done.The verbs of motion in the Russian languagewill always initially be difficult for foreigners to learn, butfortunately, this book does ease some of the pain and frustration, and forthat reason alone, it is worth being a part of every Russian student'slibrary.My thanks to Mr. Mahota.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
The authors have made a genuine contribution to east-west relations with this clear and thorough explanation of the puzzle of Russian verbs of motion.This book will take a week and a half to get through for intermed students, but the benefits are unlimited.

Those who have ever struggledwith Russian public transport will especially value this book. It is agenuine lifesaver. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Stillman - Still the Best, Man!
In 1968, I worked with the first edition in my HS Russian class.We were told then that the text was 2 year college level equivalent,and I was astounded to find from the reviewers here, that it still is!Anyway - even all that long ago the text was brilliant and by the end of the HS year I was able to carry on conversations and even found myself thinking in Russian.Our instructor went on to take a job with the FBI as a Russian translator.I held on to the textbook but lost it several years ago to poor storage.I recently purchased a used version of the second edition (1972) from Ashtonius Online for a fraction of the cost new, have reviewed it and feel confident I'll be in better shape to make a planned trip to Russia in the near future, especially with the audio tutor found at the publisher's website: [...]

Throughout the years since using this book in HS, I've purchased several other so called teaching materials - none compares to this.If you want to learn how to speak Russian best, this is the best source, evidenced by the fact that it is still used on the university level as nothing better seems to have been found to replace it :-)

Stilman-Harkins Russian Book Is Simply the Best
My headline says it all.As a Russian major at Columbia, I used it & loved it.Mrs. Stilman herself was our instructor (and SHE was also the best!).Later, as a Russian teacher myself, I chose the book for my own students.There must be at least 100 elementary Russian grammar texts available, but this is the best.

a very good handbook
this book contains a lot of phrases as examples of grammar,drawings to understand prepositions of moving,dialogues...wonderful explanations.

A Solid Introduction to the Russian Language
I first used this book when I took four years of Russian in high school more than 30 years ago, and have kept this book for reference all these years.

This book begins with the Russian alphabet and simple words, showing the learner how to pronounce them and how to write them in both print and cursive. There are written drills of progressively greater difficulty. There are also blocs of paragraphs depicting ordinary conversation in Russian.

The cases used in Russian are covered, along with the usages of each: locative, genitive, dative, instrumental, and nominative. Subsequent chapters build on the usage of these cases.

Every chapter end has a section on vocabulary, common expression, and a short review of previously-covered content. There is a Russian-English and English-Russian glossary at the end of the book. There is also an index of pertinent grammatical forms and manner of usage (e. g., the days of the week, verbs of riding, expressions of sickness, and many others). The content of the book also gives brief insight into such things as Russian geography, Russian writers, etc.

still the best after 30+ years...
we used this textbook in my high school sophomore first year russian class back in 1975. unfortunately, because i was continuing in german and a heavy science course load, i couldn't continue in the class and couldn't afford to keep the book. later in college i saw students using the same book and wish i had finished it in high school. i plan to get a used copy and study russian again on my own. ... Read more