Languages and Linguistics

A really interesting answer to a question on Quora, from Andrew MacKenzie. Quora is sometimes weird about making you log in to read things, but I think this link will work. 

The answer describes several areas where written and spoken French are different, and it’s worth reading in full, but I want to focus on discourse configuration. Here’s the first bit of what MacKenzie says about it: 

Written French word order is based on argument structure, i.e. the role the nouns play in the verb’s action: Subject verb object.  In spoken French, however, word order is much more dependent on discourse structure— the role the nouns play in the speech context.   In English we can move things around for this kind of reason, but it isn’t common.  For instance, to show contrast, we can put objects before subjects: (4) Coffee, I like. Tea, I don’t.   This displacement is accompanied by a sharp change in intonation— the contrasted item gets emphasized.   We can also set nouns apart as topics (this is called topicalization) (5) Your brother, he can run a mile in five minutes! Again, in English this isn’t common.  And in written French, it isn’t common either.  But in spoken French, it’s the normal way to make a sentence. (4 again) Le café, j'adore.  Le thé, moins (5 again) Ton frère, il peut courir un km six en cinq minutes! In spoken French, it’s also common to put several nouns in front.  Note that with topicalization (5) you have to have a pronoun in the sentence that refers to any arguments that you’ve topicalized.  One sentence that I remember well: (6) Moi, les flics, je les aime pas.   I don’t like cops  [Lit: Me, cops, I don’t like ‘em]  The use of nous, on for “we” is common, too, if you’re interested in syntax-semantic mismatches (on is 3rd singular morphologically) (7) Nous, on va au ciné ce soir.    We’re going to the movies tonight [Lit: Us, one is going to the movies tonight] It’s also normal to put things after the sentence. This is usually done to emphasize the last constituent, notably the predicate.  The emphasized part is pronounced with more loudness and higher pitch. (8)  Il est con, ton frère.     Your brother’s a jerk.  [Lit: He’s a jerk, your brother ]  The next one was some advice from my mother-in-law (9) Faut en boire, du café, le matin. You have to drink coffee in the mornings      [Lit: have-to some drink, coffee, the morning ]

(Full text)

He mentions that he can’t speak for Belgium or Canada, but as a fluent second-language French speaker living in Montreal, I can definitely say that discourse configuration is very common here, and I hadn’t actually realized it was quite so common in France.

I also get the sense that it’s more acceptable to drop the object in contexts where you definitely can’t do so in English. For example, 

(10) Je peux goûter?         Can I try some? [Lit.I can taste? ]

b= bein nice

d= de good times you have with the ones you love

s= seeing your family and friends

Latin graffiti in Pompeii (CIL IV.8792)

To everyone making fun of this graffiti… this poor slave left a message on wall saying what they had accomplished

un talkie-walkie

tatoeba.org

It’s an incredibly vast, open-source database of sentences in any language you might think of. Users post a sentence in their native language and others translate it naturally, and never too literally (it’s in the website’s rules).

This resource has helped me in many ways, for instance, by searching for a word, you can see it being used in actual sentences made by natives. That’s amazing in my opinion!

A screenshots from the website’s homepage:

I compiled a list of YouTubers that speak Russian in their videos (not everyone here is from Russia). I am not a native speaker, so this is what I have come across. YouTubers that I particularly like are marked by ***. This list is not exhaustive so if you want me to add a Youtuber you like, let me know.

Comedy & Entertainment

AdamThomasMoran : Similar to Ray Williams Johnson, this channel comments on videos with comedy, as well as some swearing. One of the first Russian Youtube celebrities.

This is Хорошо ***: Latvian channel in Russian that reviews 3 viral videos with funny commentary. Unlike, AdamThomasMoran, there is no swearing.

TheBrianMaps ***: Brian does funny videos and skits meant to make you happy.

Room Factory ***: A channel whose main skit  Короче говоря features an interesting scenario in under 3 minutes.

KREOSAN: Ukrainians that do wild experiments. 

Девушки Мотора: This channel does skits about relationships and life.

Данила Поперечный : Stand up comedian sa well as a screen writer.

ТО «420»:  Short animation videos about different topics such as religion, science, etc. 

Beauty & Fashion

Elena Krygina : Well known makeup artist that also gives master classes around Russia. Her channel focuses on makeup tutorials.

Sasha Spilberg ***: Similar to Zoella, her channel focuses on beauty, home, and unboxings.

Maria Way : Maria is a fashion and beauty blogger.

Соня Есьман***: Sonya is a model that talks about fashion and beauty. She also has an English channel.

★ Lizaonair : Her channel focuses on skincare, fashion, and makeup.

Masha Timoshenko ***: Masha blogs about fashion.

Kseniya Vostrikova:  Ksenia vlogs about fashion. life, and health.

Jenya Geyn: Jenya vlogs about beauty and skincare.

elena864 : She does a lot of makeup looks and outfit posts.

KamillaBeauty ***: Kamilla focuses on outfits and product reviews.

KateLi0n : She does product reviews and beauty looks.

Vlogging

TheKateClapp : Ekaterina talks about life and other topics with a comedic approach. She is well liked around Russia.

Руслан Усачев : Ruslan vlogs about news events, politics, gadgets, gaming and films.

ANTONplusANNA***: Anton and Anna vlog about their life and often try new foods.

PolinaBrz : You can think of her like a studyblr. She often blogs about books, school and hauls.

Ekaterina Saibel: This family of 3 vlogs about their life. They are in Kazakhstan and you can often see them skiing on the mountains there. 

Саша Кэт: Sasha blogs about life, DIY’s, and funny skits.

HalBer : They blog about challenges, life,  and other fun things.

Dima Ermuzevich : Dima often blogs about his trips and life.

ulielie ***: She blogs about books, films, and hauls.

nixelpixel : She vlogs about feminism, sexism, travels, and body positivism.

Gaming

FROST : While his channel is mostly about gaming (with a variety of genres), he also does vlogs, all with humor.

Русский Мясник : Gaming channel that focuses on first person shooters.

LeTSPLaySHiK: This channel focuses on Minecraft. 

SuperEvgexa: Also has a focus on Minecraft. 

TheUselessMouth: This channel  does a variety of games, with an occasional skit.

LetsPlayPoRusski : This channel focuses on a game series in a let’s play. Currently, it is the Binding of Isaac.

Zulin`s v-log: This channel is more like the American let’s plays as it is more serious in the gameplay.

perpetuumworld : The genres vary but they tend to be less FPS and more fun games.

Прохождения от Глеба ^__^ : This channel focuses on more popular games and has longer let’s plays.

Ярик Лапа : He has a focus on Minecraft.

RusGameTactics: Tends to focus on a series of a let’s play.

Kuplinov ► Play : He plays a variety of games and often has a 16+ warning. 

JesusAVGN:  He plays horror games and is funny.

Food & Health

Готовим дома: You can learn to cook traditional Russian dishes as well as other food.

Приятного аппетита!***: This channel has a sweets specialty.

Готовить просто: Another channel that teaches you how to cook food.

Готовим с Ириной Хлебниковой ***: This channel focuses on dessert recipes.

Семейная кухня : This channel has a family recipe focus.

Ольга Матвей***: Olga does a lot of dessert recipes.

videoculinary : Recipes from Emma’s grandmother.

Unagrande YogaClub : Teaches you yoga.

Катерина Буйда ***: Fitness instructor on yoga.

chilelavida ***: Teaches yoga as well as how to plan and be organized.

Workout - Будь в форме! : Offers workout videos and recipes.

TGym - Яркий путь к совершенству! : She blogs exercises, food, and her journey.

Science, News, and Technology

ПостНаука : This channel focuses on science and has lectures about different science topics.

LizzzTV ***: Challenges and science experiments.

Wylsacom: This channel does technology reviews.

Неновости: This channel  is sort of a mini news channel where they talk about events, celebs, and science.

Анатолий Шарий: Ukrainian journalist that lives in the EU that talks about the Ukrainian crisis. His news sources that he mentions are sometimes in Ukrainian, but he speaks Russian for his videos.

SlivkiShow : He does how to’s as well as experiments.

Our Vidos TV: This channel focuses on experiments.

TV and Film

Маша и Медведь : Really well-made and known kid’s tv show about the misadventures of Masha and the bear.

Вечерний Ургант : Similar to The Late Show, this is a late-night talk show, often accompanied by interviews with celebrities.

SoyuzMult ***: A channel that focuses on Soviet children’s cartoons. 

Mosfilm : You can find many Soviet films here, some of them with English subtitles.

Кино Клуб: Another channel where you can watch Soviet films.

Кухня (сериал) ***: Here you can watch full episodes of my favorite show Kuxnya.

Music

Ello : This channel focuses on pop music videos. Great for finding music to listen to for lyrics.

Russian Music : A variety of music with folk music as well.

GitaristTV: This guitarist teaches you how to play different songs on the guitar.

Russian Language

Weekly Russian: Natalia has short Russian language lessons that are easy to follow.

Easy Russian: If you don’t enjoy the dry approach of some people, learn Russian and Russian culture with humor and fun.

Easy Languages ***: While this channel focuses on many languages, the Russian segment is great for those learning Russian as there are both Russian and English subtitles for street interviews.

RussianPod101: Offers free Russian lessons (while trying to get you to buy their full course).

RU-LAND : This channel teaches grammar for those at different levels in Russian.

Fun Russian: This channel teaches you Russian, as well as vocabulary and slang.

Russian With Passion: Antonia casually explains grammar and vocabulary in her video lessons.

Russian with Huliganov: This series has been recommended for those that want to learn Russian. 

Other

Адвокат Егоров : A lawyer that does survival videos about DIY, building, fishing and gardening.

ASMRmania : ASMR Russian channel that relaxes you and gives you a tingling sensation. Can also help people with listening practice as the audio is soft.

Vse kak u zverei : Wildlife show about how humans and animals are alike with some jokes.

Grigoryi1 : Another survivalist channel.

Nikolay Mamluke : He recites Russian poetry and sometimes sings.

Hey, anyone who wants to learn a language – I have great news for you!

pescoço | cuello | collo | cou | neck | Hals | hals