Regional Varieties of the Russian Language

The standard literary Russian language exists in several regional varieties characterized by some peculiarities in the sound system, vocabulary, and grammar, and even by their own literary norms. In class we will discuss language policy in the Soviet Union and Russian Federation, as well as Russian dialects and regional varieties of Russian, from the Far East to Kaliningrad and from Arkhangelsk to Makhachkala. We will examine also the varieties of Russian outside Russia. In the course students will discover the difference between Moscow and Saint-Petersburg pronunciation and will learn the characteristics of the vocabulary of the residents of Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, or Rostov-na-Donu. Students will read Russian writers from various origins, watch the regional broadcasts, and prepare presentations about different Russian regions.