Russian

Abstract

Russian is a world language, widely used on the Eurasian continent and with a historic role in Japan. Maritime and cultural contacts in the 18th and 19th centuries led to the production of Russian dictionaries and grammars. Interest in Russian language and literature was propelled by the influx of ‘White Russian’ émigrés in the early 20th century, to Tokyo-Yokohama and Kobe. Russian influenced language reform and literary style in modern Japan. The teaching of Russian in Japan is conducted in universities, Orthodox Church schools, the broadcasting media, a Russian school in Tokyo, and a Russian-medium university. Russian has served as a commercial ‘lingua franca’ in the Hokuriku region and in Hokkaido as a tourist language, featuring in public signage. The Russian speech community comprises residents of numerous nationalities including Russian and post-Soviet states. Russian language maintenance is a pressing issue among bilingual children of international households.