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

to publish / publisher

meśtnye oŕgany vlaśti

local government

opaśnost; ( f )

danger

otra'a´t;

to reflect

poĺnost;[ nezaviśimyj

fully independent

podveŕgnut;sq kri´tike

to be subject to criticism

priznava´t;

to acknowledge

reda´kciq

editorial office

ry

ńohnoe pra´vilo

rule of the market

svobo´da preśsy

freedom of the press

soder'a´t;

to keep

stat;q´

article

televedu´]ij

television presenter

haśtnyj kanaĺ

private channel

N.B. su]estvuét mneńie – there is an opinion; deĺo v tom, hto – the thing is that; za she¨t – at the expense of

Exercise 1

Answer the following questions in Russian.

1 Pohemuśvobo´da preśsy v Rossií v opaśnosti?

2 Mo´'et li preśsa byt; poĺnost;[ nezaviśimoj?

3 Ot kogoóby´hno zaviśit preśsa?

4 Pra´vda li, hto v Rossií sejhaś sli´wkom mno´go gaze´t?

Language points ♦

-to / -nibud;

-to and -nibud; can be used after hto, kto and kako´j: hto´-to / hto´-nibud;

something

kto´-to / kto´-nibud;

someone

kako´j-to / kako´j-nibud;

some (or other)

Sredstva massovoj informacii (smi)

|

131

1111

The forms ending in -to are more specific. They relate to things / people 2

the identity of which is uncertain but whose existence is not in doubt: 3

On hto´-to prine¨s.

4

He has brought something.

5

6

Kto´-to stuhi´t.

7

Someone is knocking.

8111

9

Kaka´q-to de´vuwka vas i´]et.

Some girl (or other) is looking for you.

10

1

There is an example in the dialogue:

2

3

L[ba´q gaze´ta ot hego´-to i kogo´-to zaviśit.

4

Any newspaper depends on someone and something.

5

Forms in -nibu´d; are vaguer and imply that the existence of the 6

thing / person is in doubt. Hto´-nibud; and kto´-nibud; may also 7

translate ‘anything’ or ‘anyone’:

8

9

Prine¨s li on hto´-nibud;?

20111

Did he bring anything?

1

2

Kto´-nibud; xo´het \´to?

Does anyone want it?

3

4

Mo´'et byt;, nam oka´'ut kaku´[-nibud; po´mo];.

5

Perhaps they will give us some help.

6

7

Contrast:

8

kto´-to zvoni´t

9

someone is ringing (existence known)

30

1

esli kto´-nibud; pozvoni´t

2

if someone rings (existence hypothetical)

3

-to / -nibud; may also be added to some adverbs, to similar effect: 4

5

gde´-to / gde´-nibud;

‘somewhere’ (place); kuda´-to / kuda´-nibud;

‘somewhere’ (motion);

6

ka´k-to / ka´k-nibud; ‘somehow’; kogda´-to /

7

kogda´-nibud; ‘some time (or other)’:

8

On kogda´-to 'il v Rossií.

9

He lived in Russia at some time or other.

40

1

Mo´'et byt;, my kogda´-nibu´d; vstre´timsq.

421111

Perhaps we will meet some time.

132

|

The mass media

Exercise 2