Svetlana Flemming - Colloquial Russian - The Next Step in Language Learning

reźko

sharply

sostavlq´t;

to constitute

trudoustro´jstvo

placement in work

uveli´hivat;sq

to increase

usiĺivat;sq

to intensify

ute´hka mozgo´v

brain drain

hiślennost; ( f )

numbers

N.B. kak pra´vilo – as a rule; v osnovno´m – mainly; rossiqńin citizen of Russia, referring to any person living in Russia, not necessarily someone of Russian ethnic origin; bli´'nee zarube´';e – ‘the near abroad’: former republics of the USSR, now the independent states of Ukraińa, Beloruśsiq, Molda´viq, Kazaxstań, Uzbekistań, Tad'ikistań, Kirgizistań, Turkmenistań, Gruźiq, Armeńiq, Azerbajd'ań, La´tviq, |stońiq, Li´tva; daĺ;nee zarube´';e –

‘the far abroad’ all other foreign countries; SNG (Sodru´'estvo Nezaviśimyx Gosudaŕstv) – CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) consisting of all former republics except the Baltic Republics of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia Exercise 3

Answer the following questions in English.

1 When did the problem of migration arise in Russia?

2 Why do the majority of emigrants go to the USA, Israel or Germany?

3 Why is emigration damaging the Russian economy?

4 Who are the Russian refugees referred to in the passage?

5 What is the particular problem of illegal immigration in Russia?

Migraciq

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Exercise 4

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4

True or false?

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1 Rossi´jskie granićy (nevozmo´'no, legko´, tru´dno) perejti´?

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2 Rossi´q dlq immigrańtov (tranzi´tnyj punkt, kone´hnyj punkt, 8111

turisti´heskaq strana´)?

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3 Rost hislaímmigrańtov dlq Rossií (be´dstvie, bla´go, spaseńie)?

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4 Naseleńie Rossií (umen;waétsq, uveli´hivaetsq, ne izmenqétsq)?

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5 Bol;winstvoímmigrańtov v Rossií iz (bli´'nego zarube´';q, 2

daĺ;nego zarube´';q, za´padnyx stran)?

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6 Bol;winstvoŕossiqń \migriŕu[t po (nacionaĺ;nym,

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\konomi´heskim, politi´heskim) moti´vam?

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6

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Language points ♦

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9

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Reflexive verbs

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Reflexive verbs are easily recognised by -

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sq which is added after the

verb ending. This ending changes to -

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s; after a vowel, although not

after

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; or j. In the strictest sense, a verb is only reflexive if the subject of the verb is performing the action of the verb on itself: 5

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Mat; odevaét rebe¨nka.

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The mother dresses the child.

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Rebe¨nok odevaétsq.

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The child gets dressed (dresses self).

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Many intransitive verbs ( not taking a direct object) end in -sq in 3

contrast to transitive ( taking a direct object) verbs of the same 4

meaning without -sq:

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Dver; zakry

ĺas;.

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The door closed.

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On zakry

ĺ dver;.

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He closed the door.

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1

Although in English the transitive and intransitive verbs are often 421111

the same, in Russian they are always differentiated, commonly by the

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Migration

reflexive ending. There are a large number of examples of reflexive verbs used intransitively in the dialogue and text about migration: Maśsovaq \migraćiq nahne¨tsq.

Mass emigration will begin.

Situaćiq bu´det prodol'a´t;sq.

The situation will continue.

Hisloúmen;waétsq.

The number is falling.

Contrast the transitive use of these verbs when they are without the reflexive ending:

On nahne¨t rabo´tu.

He will begin work.

Ne'ela´tel;no prodol'a´t; \´tu situaći[.

It is undesirable to continue this situation.

umeń;wit; hisloímmigrańtov.

to reduce the number of immigrants

Only the transitive verb may be followed by the infinitive: prodol'a´t; rabo´tat;

to continue working

nahina´t; hita´t;

to start reading

Other common transitive / intransitive pairs are:

konha´t; / konha´t;sq

to finish

prevra]a´t; / prevra]a´t;sq

to turn

rasprostranq´t; / rasprostranq´t;sq

to spread

sobira´t; / sobira´t;sq

to gather

uveli´hivat; / uveli´hivat;sq

to increase

sokra]a´t; / sokra]a´t;sq

to reduce

Sometimes the transitive and intransitive verbs are differentiated in English as well: povywa´t; ‘to raise’; povywa´t;sq ‘to rise’.