The Russian Word's Worth: A Humorous and Informative Guide to the Russian Language, Culture and Translation - Softcover

Michele A. Berdy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 5717200919 ISBN 13: 9785717200912

Publisher: Glas, 2010

Synopsis

A humorous look at the Russian language and culture, with a subject index. Essential reading for students of Russia.

rReaders all over the world have been enjoying and learning from Michele A. Berdy s column, The Word s Worth, in The Moscow Times. A quirky, opinionated, sometimes hilarious and yet always thoughtful and authoritative guide, Berdy looks at Russia s changing culture, politics, and daily life through language and the art of translation.

In the over 200 columns gathered in this volume, she explores the language of popular and youth culture, politics, the workplace, culture high and low, and the comical struggle of expats trying to feel at home in a foreign language and culture. She tackles subjects not found in any Russian textbook or cultural guide, from the serious (expressing condolences and mastering church etiquette) through the annoying (dealing with the plumber, and writing the perfect robbery report), to the essential (excusing oneself - politely and not - to use the rest room). Her columns clarify Russian grammar, provide translations of devilishly difficult words and phrases, and throw open a window on Russia in the 21st century.

About this title

About the Author

Michele A. Berdy has lived and worked in Moscow for most of the last 32 years, working in documentary film, TV production, public health communication and journalism. An accomplished translator and interpreter, she is best known for her popular weekly column 'The Word s Worth'. Her articles on Russian culture, current events and various aspects of intercultural communication have appeared in the Russian and English-language press. She has written four guidebooks about Moscow, St Petersburg and Russia, and is co-author of a Russian-English dictionary.

From the Back Cover

Michele Berdy
The Russian Word s Worth
A humorous and informative guide to the Russian language, culture and translation
With an introduction, eight thematic chapters, and a subject index

Since 2002, readers all over the world have been enjoying and learning from Michele A. Berdy s column The Word s Worth in The Moscow Times. A quirky, opinionated, sometimes hilarious and yet always thoughtful and authoritative guide, Berdy looks at Russia s changing culture, politics, and daily life through language and the art of translation. She explores the language of popular and youth culture, politics, the workplace, culture high and low, and the comical struggle of expats trying to feel at home in a foreign language and culture.
The Russian Word s Worth is essential reading for students and teachers of Russian, translators, Russia-watchers, foreigners in Moscow, and anyone who wants to understand Russia today.

Praise from leading translators:

For those of us in the States dealing with contemporary Russian Michele Berdy's columns are so good, they've become addictive, providing in-depth insight into what's new, what's different, and what's stayed the same in today's language. Her insider knowledge of how Russians actually speak is second to no one's. If I can't be on the streets of Moscow or Petersburg myself, at least I have Michele Berdy to be my eyes and ears. -- Marian Schwartz

Michele Berdy is to the Russian language what Julia Child was to French cooking: the same juicy, humorous approach, the same demystification of a daunting subject, the same message that if I can do this, so can you ." -- Joanne Turnbull

Michele has a truly unique gift for articulating the difficulties that
Russians and English-speakers encounter while trying to understand each
other's worlds. Her work is as entertaining as it is profound, and it will
prove equally useful to beginning students and to advanced professionals. Robert Chandler

Edition details

• Publisher: Glas
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 5717200919
• ISBN 13: 9785717200912
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 495