Russian Language Research Articles

Semantic Features of Game Vocabulary in Russian Dialects of Mordovia Republic

Introduction. The study deals with semantic analysis of game vocabulary in Russian dialects of the Republic of Mordovia. The thematic diversity of dialect vocabulary makes it possible to identify the features of traditional folk culture. The aim of the study is to conduct a semantic analysis of dialect units referring to the game vocabulary and to identify the peculiarities of their functioning.Materials and Methods. The material of the study is the “Dictionary of Russian Dialects on the territory of the Republic of Mordovia”. The lexical units are categorized into semantic groups based on the classifications presented in the linguistic literature (Ya. V. Myznikova, M. M. Ugryumova), taking into account criteria such as the age of participants, the nature of the action, and the way the game is organized.Results. In the course of the study, several semantic groups are identified, within which the dialectal game lexicon is categorized into subgroups. The group “active games” includes lexical units denoting the names of children's games, with the names of several games that have survived to the present day; the group “age games” includes the names of “youth games”. There are numerous dialectal units denoting old folk games, games with objects, and objects for games; dialectal units denoting the names of games that traditionally accompanied some holidays, usually religious ones, are also recorded. The authors consider the correlation between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in describing regional identity of Russian people living in the territory of the Republic of Mordovia.Discussion and Conclusion. The analysis proves that game activity is an integral part of human life. The conclusions drawn by the authors contribute to the preservation of ethnocultural heritage and contribute to the development of semantics and ethnolinguistics. Prospects for further research are related to the study of nationally specific linguistic units taking into account the relationship between language and culture. The materials of the article can be useful in teaching the Russian language when studying its dialectal and linguocultural peculiarities.

THE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE CATEGORY OF GENDER IN RUSSIAN IN COMPARISON WITH ALBANIAN

Noun gender, unlike number and case in Albanian, has been and continues to be studied within the grammatical system. However, it has increasingly become a subject of comparative research, particularly in relation to other languages. This study examines Russian and Albanian, focusing on both the commonalities and differences in the formation and functioning of nouns across the three genders in these languages. A key aspect of the analysis is the morphosyntactic perspective on gender, particularly the agreement of adjectives and pronouns with noun gender in both languages. For instance: (доклад) → мой интересный ←доклад → (работа) → моя интересная ← работа / (raport) - raporti → im interesant → (puna) – puna → ime interesante (my interesting ← report → my interesting work). The study also explores the relationship between grammatical gender and biological sex in gender categorization. Special attention is given to the neuter gender in Albanian, which lacks distinct grammatical markers, whereas in Russian, neuter nouns correspond to either feminine or masculine counterparts, e.g., të folurit (neuter) → а) речь (feminine), б) говор (masculine). Additionally, Russian nouns ending in a soft sign (мягкий знак -ь) can correspond to any of the three genders in Albanian. Understanding these similarities and differences in a comparative manner is crucial for the effective teaching of Russian as a foreign language to Albanian speakers. Identifying these distinctions enables Russian language instructors to address specific areas of interference, ultimately facilitating the learning process for Albanian students.

Медиадискурстағы АЭС: ақпараттық күн тәртібін қалыптастырудың ерекшеліктері мен қоғамдық қабылдауға әсері

On September 2, 2024, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the date of the referendum on the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant. From that moment, this event sparked widespread public discussions in the media space. This study employs the agenda-setting theory to analyze how state-funded and independent media covered the issue of nuclear power plant construction in Kazakhstan. The article aims to identify the characteristics of agenda formation within the contemporary media discourse on nuclear power plant construction in Kazakhstan and examine its impact on public perception. In particular, the study seeks to answer the following questions: what kind of agenda do state-dependent and independent media promote regarding the construction of nuclear power plants? Is the same information disseminated to both Russian-speaking and Kazakh-speaking audiences? To achieve this goal, a content analysis was conducted on the Kazakh-language and Russian-language news websites of two leading media outlets. The first group consists of state-funded publications: Egemen Qazaqstan (a Kazakh-language news site) and Kazakhstanskaya Pravda (a Russian-language platform). The second group includes the independent publication Vlast.kz, which operates in both Kazakh and Russian languages. To obtain a comprehensive picture, articles and news reports from the two weeks preceding the referendum were analyzed, as this period saw a significant increase in media coverage. A total of n=12 news articles were examined, with three articles selected from each media outlet. The findings confirmed the hypothesis that in the two weeks leading up to the referendum, state-funded media predominantly promoted an agenda in favor of nuclear power plant construction.

Application of the Blended Teaching Mode in Russian Language Courses in Colleges and Universities in the Context of the Internet

With the rapid advancement of Internet technology, the blended teaching mode has become a pivotal approach in Russian language courses at colleges and universities. This paper explores the significance, current prevalence, and future prospects of this model, which integrates both online and offline teaching methods. By enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes, it utilizes multimedia and digital platforms to extend learning beyond traditional classrooms, improving language proficiency and academic performance. This approach also fosters essential intercultural communication skills. However, challenges such as limited teacher-student interaction and low student autonomy persist, highlighting the need for continuous optimization of the blended teaching model. The paper offers actionable recommendations to enhance interaction and promote greater student agency. Ultimately, it underscores that the blended teaching model will play an increasingly critical role in advancing Russian language education.

He Civic Identity of Graduates (11th Grade Students) of Secondary Schools at the Current Historical Stage of Kazakhstan’s Development: the Results of a Quantitative Study

This article presents the results of a quantitative study on the civic identity of high school students in Kazakh-stan. The analysis is based on survey data collected from final-year students across schools in all regions of the country, conducted in both Kazakh and Russian languages. The study explores how high school students perceive their civic identity and highlights differences influenced by the language of instruction and regional contexts. The findings reveal that the majority of students endorse the concept of a civic nation. It becomes evident that students’ civic and patriotic attitudes are shaped by their linguistic environment, social engage-ment, and educational policies. The authors argue that state policies regarding civic education should take in-to account the socio-cultural and linguistic characteristics of different regions, address existing language bar-riers, and actively involve Russian-speaking youth in civic socialization processes. Furthermore, the study underscores the crucial role of educational institutions in fostering civic identity and advocates for the inte-gration of intercultural interaction into school curricula and student activities. The results are valuable for ed-ucational institutions, regional policymakers, and specialists in contemporary Kazakhstan history and regional studies.

Структура зависимостей успешности обучения одновременно студентов нескольких специальностей для распределения профессиональных интересов по предметам труда

The work discusses necessity of going beyond the boundaries of a single profession (specialization) when studying psychological characteristics influencing success in professional or academic activity. Using four indicators of professional interest distribution across five labour subjects (“person-technique”, “person-person”, “person-sign system”, “person-artistic image”), the distribution patterns are analysed through multiple comparisons within each indicator for representatives of three unrelated pedagogical specialties: “Mathematics and Computer Science,” “Physics and Mathematics,” “Literature and the Russian Language.” The task involves comparing 12 specialties, where representatives of each specialty are divided into 15 overlapping groups. The work presents graphically and analyses statistically and psychologically nine groups representing three main directions of academic activity at the university and three levels of academic achievement for the three studied specialties. The work compares correlation analysis results with these groupings. It is concluded that differences in diagnostic results of representatives from a studied profession or specialty on psychological parameters of interest to the researcher must be taken into account if values within the same specialization show insufficient variability, especially when certain professionally important qualities are clearly evident in representatives of the studied specialty regardless of professional or academic success.

Specificity of euphemistic lexis in media discourse on the example of Russian press from 2017-2021

This article investigates the issue of euphemistic lexicon used in Russian periodicals of the early 21st century. The purpose of the study is to analyse the functional features of euphemisms, the specifics of their use in media discourse, and to determine their role in the manipulation of public opinion. The material of the study consisted of texts in modern Russian socio-political periodicals. Examples of euphemistic units from the newspaper sub-corpus of the National Corpus of the Russian Language are used as illustrative material. The manipulative potential of euphemisms is manifested in masking the true meaning of the message by creating a neutral or positive connotation, distorting the real scale of events or phenomena. Publicistic discourse is a source of information for a wide audience, which strengthens the influential role of euphemistic lexicon. The central focus of the study is to identify priority topics belonging to the socio-political sphere that are subject to euphemisation in the modern Russian press. There is an indication of an increase in the number of euphemisms related to socially significant topics and spheres of human activity in the journalistic discourse. The characteristic feature of this group is its close connection with socio-cultural processes. The repeated use of euphemism weakens its key function and stimulates the formation of new euphemistic units. The use of some euphemisms in publicistic discourse is dictated by the norms of political correctness in modern communication. The results of the study presented in the article indicate a fairly wide use of euphemisms in the language of the modern Russian press.

Predictors of psychological safety of the educational environment of migrant students as a factor of their successful education in Russia

Introduction. In order to resolve the problems of low learning performance and adaptation of migrant students, the aim was to identify predictors of psychological safety of the educational environment. The basis of these predictors was the assessment of interethnic and learning conflict genesis. Materials and Methods. To achieve the research goal, the methodology of acculturation expectations (D. Berry questionnaire) modified by the author of the article was used, taking into account the conditions of the educational environment and residence of migrant students, questionnaire survey, and statistical analysis. Results. On the basis of the conducted research it was established that any segregation itself increases the probability of interethnic and educational conflict genesis. It was revealed that the assessment of language segregation indicators cannot be a good predictor of interethnic and academic conflict genesis. It was found that interethnic and learning conflict genesis can occur when an educational institution forms groups of only migrant compatriots who are unable to learn the language of the country of study. It was found that one of the important predictors of increasing the psychological safety of the educational environment is a low level of interethnic and educational conflict genesis of migrant students and a high level of their integration and assimilation. The studied students showed a high level of willingness to assimilate in relation to the cognition of the Russian language. Conclusions. The author substantiated the position that the assessment of residence safety, discrimination and the prospects of migrant students’ return to their homeland can be predictors of lowering the psychological safety of the educational environment. It is these three components that are recommended as predictors of interethnic and educational conflict genesis of students. A high level of willingness to assimilate in relation to the Russian language proficiency is a satisfactory predictor of increasing the psychological safety of the educational environment, contributing to an increase in the level of motivation to study and learning ability of migrant students.

A Closer Look at Citizenship: Social Engagement of “Russian Germans” in Bavaria

This article draws on ethnographic research with ‘Russian Germans’ in Bavaria who engage in full-time or voluntary work as administrative counsellors for Ukrainian refugees, unravelling perceptions of citizenship and integration in the context of the current war. It is not uncommon for ‘Russian Germans’ to be presented negatively on social media: as ‘AfD voters’ or ‘Putin supporters’. I would like to break down the homogenising negative image of this group and instead offer a differentiated picture. Their social engagement, which is articulated and practised in everyday life, changes the positioning of the group in different respects. It expands the participation in social processes that are important for the country. Furthermore, it broadens the political field of action of individual ‘Russian-German’ citizens in the form of participation, shaping ‘integration policy’ in Germany. Drawing on field notes and two vignettes, the article points to how participants depoliticise their role and the use of the Russian language, framing their work as ethical citizenship for the common good. The conversations described also draw attention to the ‘uncanny’ intimacy produced by practices such as gift-giving, in the interface between German and post-Soviet cultural expectations of institutional encounters.

Дискурсивная обусловленность языкового сознания русскоязычных и иноязычных военных специалистов (по данным психолингвистического эксперимента)

The aim of the research is to identify the features of images of linguistic consciousness of Russian-speaking and foreign-speaking military specialists from Kazakhstan and Mali who are mastering academic military-educational discourse. The material of the research was the associative potential of the stimulus words "Service" and "Assembly", obtained as a result of a free associative experiment. The main attention is paid to the study of the discursive conditionality of the linguistic consciousness of military personnel; the nature of matching and non-matching reactions of respondents is analyzed. The scientific novelty of the research: for the first time, the features of the linguistic consciousness of military specialists studying in the same educational institution but possessing the Russian language to varying degrees are described. As a result, it was established that the linguistic consciousness of specialists mastering academic military-educational discourse is discursively determined. Russian-speaking and foreign-speaking military specialists, with a common professional knowledge base, have different culturally determined ideas about basic professional concepts. The lexeme "Service" is perceived by military personnel who are native speakers and military specialists from Kazakhstan through the prism of moral and ethical categories; by military personnel from Mali, who are unfamiliar with Russian military culture, as professional activity. The prototypical image of "Assembly" among military specialists from Russia and Kazakhstan is anxiety; among Malians, the leading associations are formed under the influence of their native professional culture.

Личные и неличные глагольные средства выражения будущего времени в русском языке

The aim of the study is to identify the semantic-pragmatic characteristics of verbal means of expressing future tense in modern Russian. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the potential of personal and impersonal verbal means in expressing future tense is determined, and their semantic-pragmatic features are defined. The study uses a corpus-based approach, which allows us to identify patterns in the functioning of verbal units in different contexts. The results obtained showed that verbal means of expressing future tense in Russian perform a wide range of communicative functions – from expressing necessity and intention to categorical judgments and evaluations. The results of the study contribute to clarifying the overall picture of temporality in the Russian language and can be used in typological and applied linguistic developments.

The Evolution of Key Terms in Russian and German Personality Research Tradition

The evolving field of linguistic personality studies exhibits significant terminological variation, particularly between Russian and German academic discourse. This heterogeneity can impede clear communication, systematic development, and comparative research within the discipline. The article aims to explore the diachronic evolution of key terms in the conceptual framework of linguistic personality studies in these two academic traditions, identify fundamental terms, their variability, and emerging trends. The study determines the proportional distribution of the most frequently used terms, enabling a quantitative characterization of their relevance and demand in the academic community. A qualitative and quantitative content analysis was applied to the theoretical literature. This was followed by a statistical analysis to quantify and visualize results using graphs and diagrams. It is necessary for illustrating the formation, development, and transformation of the terminological corpus of personality-oriented linguistics. The qualitative content analysis identified key terms, while the quantitative approach measured their frequency of use. The analysis was conducted on 4900 academic publications (4505 Russian, 395 German), selected via controlled keyword searches. The significant difference in the number of research papers can be explained by the different proportions of publications in the field of Russian and German linguistic personality studies. The results highlight the heterogeneity of the terminological framework in linguistic personality studies, shaped by a diversity of research approaches, methodological paradigms, and researchers’ inclination toward terminological innovation. Notably, distinct thematic focuses and varying degrees of interest in specific areas (e.g., bilingualism, language identity dynamics) were observed between Russian and German scholarship, contributing to different semantic interpretations and usage of key concepts. The conducted comparative analysis provides a deeper understanding of the current state of linguistic personality theory and may serve as a foundation for further improvement of classification criteria in the terminological system of the discipline.

Polysemy of Coloronyms “White” and “Black” in Proverbs and Sayings of the Russian and German Languages

Given the growth of intercultural professional communication, a profound understanding of culture-specific connotations embedded in language, particularly in paremiological units that encapsulate folk wisdom and cultural attitudes, becomes crucial. Misinterpretation of such units, especially those involving color symbolism, can lead to significant communicative breakdowns in professional situations. This study investigates the polysemy of the coloratives “white” and “black” in Russian and German proverbs and sayings, highlighting its scientific novelty in its comparative aspect and in identifying potential areas of divergence in cultural perception. The aim is to determine and compare the meanings of these color lexemes at semantic and morphological levels. The empirical material comprises proverbs and sayings selected through continuous sampling from internet resources and lexicographical sources. Methods employed include semantic analysis, interpretation via synonym selection, grammatical analysis, and comparative analysis. The findings establish that the coloratives “white” and “black” are highly polysemous in the paremiological funds of both languages, constituting a total of 33 lexical-semantic variants (LSVs). Of these, only 7 LSVs show complete or partial coincidence (e.g., “white” as a synonym for the best, pleasant, light; or signifying distinctiveness). Conversely, 26 LSVs are unique to one language, reflecting ethnocultural specificity. For instance, Russian proverbs attribute meanings to “white” such as ‘difficult, overwhelming,’ ‘beautiful,’ or ‘outwardly beautiful but inwardly bad,’ which are not characteristic of German paremias. Morphologically, these coloratives are most frequently expressed as adjectives. The results, detailing convergences and divergences in the semantics of these color terms across the two linguacultures, hold direct relevance for professional communication. Understanding these differences is vital for preventing intercultural misunderstandings, enhancing the effectiveness of business negotiations, stimulating successful international collaborations, and optimizing foreign language training for professionals engaged in intercultural interaction.

Рецензия на учебное пособие: Гусева Е. Ю., Дворкина Е. А., Полякова Ю. Д. Читаем тексты по специальности. Изд-е 2-е. СПб.: Златоуст, 2023. Выпуск 18. Нефтегазовое дело. 96 с.

The reviewed textbook belongs to the category of Russian as a Foreign Language materials focused on teaching language for specific purposes. It is intended for international students (Bachelor’s and Master’s level) enrolled in faculties related to the oil and gas industry. The textbook is designed for a B1 level of Russian language proficiency. Consisting of four chapters (dedicated to reservoir fluids, the development of oil and gas fields, and well drilling) and sixteen lessons, it systematically introduces preparatory faculty students to oil and gas vocabulary. The textbook aims to enhance the effectiveness of professionally oriented learning.

Teaching English in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

Abstract Today, education in Kazakhstan is carried out in three languages due to economic and socio-political necessity. The development of a high level of trilingualism requires extensive support regarding the availability of qualified teaching staff, teaching materials, and technological tools for training. Although the Russian language plays the role of an intercultural communication language in Kazakhstan under the current conditions, it is observed that this tendency is gradually weakening. English provides access to the world economy and society, and the highest goal of the state is to unite the Kazakh society around English. The purpose of this study is to investigate the problems that have arisen in the teaching of English in the Republic of Kazakhstan during the post-Soviet independence years and today. The article analyses the language situation and policy in general in Kazakhstan and includes comparison with the current language policy models in other post-Soviet republics. It then addresses the particular problems in the teaching of English and indicates possible solutions.

Management of Russian-Speaking Education in Sri Lanka: Problems and Solutions

Introduction. Promotion of national traditions, cultures and languages is an important component of the foreign policy of countries in the modern conditions of globalization and dynamically developing international relations. The Russian language occupies an important place, being one of the world’s languages with a centuries-old history and rich cultural heritage. The Russian Federation is currently paying great attention to the preservation of the Russian language and the strengthening of its position in the world. In the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka the Russian language is not widely spread, but with the development of economic, scientific, educational, cultural international cooperation the interest of Lankans to study the Russian language is growing. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the expanding trade, economic, humanitarian ties between Russia and Sri Lanka cause the need to study the Russian language and coordinate efforts to interact all participants of the educational process. The development of a set of measures aimed at increasing the number of Russian-speaking citizens, establishing long-term ties with educational organizations of Sri Lanka is an important task in strengthening and developing coopera­tion between Russia and Sri Lanka. The aim of the article is to develop a set of institutional mechanisms and measures aimed at improving the effectiveness of targeted management of the Russian-speaking educational process carried out in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods. During their research the authors adhered to the following sequence of work: during the preparatory stage data collection was carried out, then a sociological study among teachers and students and a qualitative study using the method of focus groups were conducted, after obtaining the necessary information the data were analyzed and specific recommendations on the functionality of the Russian language department of the linguistic direction of the National Institute of Education of Sri Lanka were developed. Results. The research allowed us to highlight the demand for the study of the Russian language in Sri Lanka and measures for its promotion. Regulations for the formation of new management mechanisms to strengthen the position for the study of the Russian language, taking into account local traditions and peculiarities of the worldview of the population have been identified. Realization of the proposed measures, in our opinion, will provide effective coordination of actions of parties concerned in the study of the Russian culture and language. Discussion and Conclusion. Practical significance lies in the use of the results obtained in the course of scientific research, expeditions to make up a list of systemic measures that will effectively manage Russian-language education in schools of Sri Lanka. The materials of the article can be useful to the authorities in the sphere of education and international cooperation, heads of educational organizations in Sri Lanka in order to improve the level of teaching Russian as a foreign language.

Type And Method of Verbal Action of the French Verb Against the Background of the Tense Verbal System of the Russian Language

Aim. To identify and systematize linguistic means of expressing the aspectual meanings of the French verb in comparison with the type-tense system of the verb system of the Russian language using the example of the mode of action of repetition. Methodology. The synchronic approach, general scientific and particular linguistic methods are used in the example processing procedure: descriptive method, component, semantic types of analysis, and others.Results. Linguistic means based on repetition are analyzed and generalized, forming the lexico-semantic category of the mode of action of the French verb; the essential characteristics of the method and type of verbal action and the status differences between them are revealed. Research implications. The study establishes the role of repetition as the semantic basis of the aspectual meaning of a verbal action and the multilevel linguistic means of its expression.

Experience of Comparative-Contrastive Analysis of the Vocabulary of Emotions (Based on the Russian Word “Nostalgia” and its English Equivalent)

Aim. To identify the features of the semantic structures of the words «ностальгия» / “nostalgia”, functioning in the Russian and English linguistic cultures. Methodology. The language material was collected from explanatory, translation, etymological dictionaries, the English British National Corpus and the National Corpus of the Russian language, and the Google Books Ngram Viewer database was used. Comparative, contrastive, definitive, corpus, and descriptive methods of analysis were used. Results. Based on the results of the study, similarities and differences in the shades of meaning of the semantic structures of the Russian word “nostalgiya” and its English equivalent were revealed. Research implications. The practical value of the conducted research is connected with the potential possibilities of using the collected theoretical and linguistic material in the professional activities of a translator, lexicographer, terminologist, lexicologist, and teacher of foreign languages.

Отечественный библеист и филолог протоиерей Герасим Петрович Павский (1787–1863): «штрихи» к портрету

This article presents for the first time new archival materials on the activities of the well-known Russian pre-revolutionary Old Testament biblical scholar of the first half of the 19th century, Archpriest Gerasim Petrovich Pavsky, who received mixed reviews from his contemporaries and was deprived of his chair at the St. Peters-burg Theological Academy as a result of the “Pavsky affair” (1841). His Biblical heritage was revised and in demand in the 1880s. An attempt is made to assess the personal factor in the formation of the scholar as an outstanding Russian philologist. The aim of the study is to introduce previously unknown details about the life and activities of G.P. Pavsky related to Russian studies into scientific circulation. The task of the work is to demonstrate his contribution to the formation and development of Russian philological science. The research resulted with the conclusion about the importance of his works on the formation of the Russian language (trans-lations from Hebrew and Old Russian languages) and the impact of his works on the formation and develop-ment of the Russian philological science.

Hans Christian Andersen in Ukraine

Abstract This paper studies Ukrainian translations of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales done during pre-Soviet and Soviet Russia, and post-Soviet Ukraine. It focuses on pre-Soviet translations by Mykhailo Starytsky (1840–1904), Soviet translations by Oksana Ivanenko (1906–1997), and Natalia Sydorova’s translations in contemporary Ukraine. Building on theoretical insights of Lawrence Venuti, we explore the kind of formal and thematic interpretants these translators employ. We argue that while Starytsky’s Ukrainian translations of Andersen’s fairy tales can be understood in terms of foreignization because they challenged the political and cultural hegemony of Russian, Ivanenko’s translations are an example of wholesale domestication since they reinforce the hegemony of the Russian language during the Soviet era. Sydorova’s translations published in contemporary Ukraine also domesticate Andersen’s fairy tales, but without perpetuating Russian cultural dominance.