The Word's Worth
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The Word's Worth
Get to know Russia from the inside out, with podcasts on Russian language, culture and the latest news.
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Plug It, Mute It, or Hear It
The words for things that shut out sound and let you hear it are the same in Russian. Of course they are.
Alexei Navalny and the Secret List of Forbidden Words
It's hard to know where general language ends and criminal slangs begins.
A Guide to Giving a Bribe in Russian
What you say when you bribe depends on whether you want something or they want something.
Who is Gulya and Why Do We Care About Her Nose?
The preposition "c" has some weird constructions.
Spitting, Eating Your Teeth and Other Weird Gestures
When a person eats his teeth, is that bad or good? Or even possible?
Take Your Pick: Mutiny, Coup, Uprising or Nothing
What happened last week is a changing story that depends on speaker, day, mood and the subjunctive.
Wait - What Russian Month is This?
If you thought you knew the names of the months in Russian, think again.
What's in a Name? With Russian Holidays - Everything
This week Russia celebrated Russia Day. If you have no idea what that holiday is, join the gang.
A Gathering of Witches, Dues, Herbs and Classmates
Сбор and сборы are unusual words: sometimes the singular and plural forms have unrelated meanings.
Buy a Brilliant and Applaud an Artist
Oh, those false friends... every translator's nightmare.
Tricks of the Trade
Using the right verb and the right case to express changing and exchanging is a big headache.
Under the Mighty Oak I Sit, Stupidly
Sitting on stumps, falling out of trees and stepping in rotten logs figure prominently in Russian expressions.
The Cat Cried and Ran By
Cats are popular pets In Russia but unpopular in folk expressions.
Serving and Not Serving in the Military
The confusing terminology of conscripts, reservists and draft dodgers.
How a Saint Becomes a Sinner
How some Russian words change meaning in and out of church.
Of Courtyards, Grifters and Days Off
All about things and people that pass by, pass through, and ought to pass off forever.
Shame That is Cringeworthy
Understanding teenagers is a struggle that makes you cringe.
Please Don't Hit on Me, Bug Me, or Harass Me
How everyone from gangsters to presidents keep people calm and in their place.
Travels, Trips and Tours
Trips with goals, aimless travels, and all-inclusive tourist packages.
Starting Anew or Again or Freshly Baked
A few thoughts on new being old or next or just the same old thing over and over again.
Mark My Words: How to Remember and Forget
How to remember and how to forget are good skills to have whatever your language.
Mark My Words: How to Remember and Forget [old]
How to remember and how to forget are good skills to have whatever your language.
The Hopeless Quest for Language Purity
Russian legislators keep making laws to keep Russian pure. It's not working.
Words of the Year 2022
The annual Words of the Year compendium is dark, bleak and brutal.
Get Russian-Ready for Seasons Greetings
Take two little words - хлеб (bread) and соль (salt) - put them together and get something grand.
The New Russian Revolutionary Language
NewSpeak, new letters and a new level of crude language used by the Russian elite.
Why is There a Dog in Your Email?
From the annals of punctuation and typographical history.
Гойда! They Shouted. Say What?
What were they shouting on Red Square and should we worry?
Newspeak for the Russian New Economic Policy
Happy talk in Russian media sources. "Negative growth" and lots of "stability."
Newspeak in the New Russia
What they say and what they mean are two very different things.