Russian language

Ruština ve světě

Russian ex-USSR 2004

BelarusHomeLanguages2009

Russophone population in Estonia

Use of Russian language at home in Latvia (2011)

Russian language is an East Slavic language and an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It also serves as a widely spoken language in many former Soviet states and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Russian is the largest native language in Europe and the eighth most spoken language in the world by number of native speakers. The language is one of the most widespread geographical languages due to Russia's vast size.

History

The history of the Russian language can be traced back to the Old East Slavic language, from which it evolved. Old East Slavic was spoken in the medieval state of Kievan Rus', which comprised parts of present-day Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The language underwent significant changes in the Middle Ages, leading to the emergence of Russian as a distinct language by the 14th century. The Cyrillic script, which was developed in the First Bulgarian Empire, became the basis for the Russian alphabet. The Russian literary language developed significantly in the 18th century under the influence of writers like Mikhail Lomonosov and Alexander Pushkin, who is often considered the founder of modern Russian literature.

Phonology

Russian phonology is characterized by a distinction between "hard" and "soft" sounds, depending on the palatalization of consonants. The language has a relatively simple vowel system, with five main vowels that can be either hard or soft, but a complex consonant system. Stress in Russian is unpredictable and can fall on any syllable in a word, significantly affecting the pronunciation of vowels.

Grammar

Russian grammar is known for its complexity, with a highly inflectional structure. The language features a large number of cases for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, with six main cases: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental, and prepositional. Russian verbs are conjugated in two aspects: imperfective and perfective. The aspect of a verb indicates whether the action is ongoing or completed. Additionally, Russian uses a verb of motion system that is intricate and unique among Slavic languages.

Vocabulary

The Russian vocabulary has been influenced by many languages, including Old Church Slavonic, French, German, and English. Despite these influences, the core of the Russian vocabulary remains Slavic. The language has a rich system of derivation and compounding, allowing for the creation of a vast array of words from a relatively limited set of roots.

Writing System

The Russian alphabet is based on the Cyrillic script, consisting of 33 letters. It includes 21 consonants, 10 vowels, and two signs (the soft sign and the hard sign) that indicate the softening or hardening of preceding consonants. The alphabet underwent a major reform in 1918, which simplified the spelling rules and eliminated several letters.

Status and Use

Russian is not only a major world language but also a critical language for international diplomacy, science, and technology. It remains a key language in post-Soviet states and is widely taught as a second language in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The language's status as a cultural and literary medium is also significant, with a rich tradition of literature, music, and film.

See Also

• Slavic languages
• Russian literature
• Languages of Russia
• Cyrillic script