- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (14 Aug 1997)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0415161401
- ISBN-13: 978-0415161404
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 13.5 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
405,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in Books > Languages > By Language > Russian > Level > Introduction
- #13 in Books > Languages > By Language > Russian > By Publisher > Routledge
- #39 in Books > Languages > By Language > Russian > Learning Materials
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Product Description
Product Description
Colloquial Russian is easy to use and completely clear. Specially written by an experienced teacher for self-study or class use, the course offers you a step-by-step approach to written and spoken Russian.
From the Back Cover
Colloquial Russian is easy to use and completely brilliant! Specially written by experienced teachers for self-study or class use, the course offers you a step-by-step approach to written and spoken Russian. No prior knowledge of the language is required.
What makes Colloquial Russian your best choice in personal language learning?
* interactive - lots of dialogues and exercises for regular practice
* clear - concise grammar notes
* practical - useful vocabulary and pronunciation guide
* complete - including answer key and special reference section
By the end of this rewarding course you will be able to communicate confidently and effectively in a broad range of situations.
What makes Colloquial Russian your best choice in personal language learning?
* interactive - lots of dialogues and exercises for regular practice
* clear - concise grammar notes
* practical - useful vocabulary and pronunciation guide
* complete - including answer key and special reference section
By the end of this rewarding course you will be able to communicate confidently and effectively in a broad range of situations.
Inside This Book
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Before I bought this book I looked at several other introductory books on Russian. I chose this one because it is clear and concise, and packs a great deal of learning into each chapter. If you are sufficiently determined, in an astonishingly short time you should have a grounding in grammar and a vocabulary of about 1500 of the most commonly used words, and be able to read and write confidently in Russian about everyday subjects. It takes you up to intermediate level, which I think means to about GCSE level. The last few topics introduce current affairs vocabulary, and have an A-level feel to them.
I understand this is the book that Cambridge University recommend to complete beginners in Russian studies. Be warned then: you will need either a Russian tutor or the kind of motivation and self-discipline that you would expect from a Cambridge student. There is little space devoted to teaching you either pronunciation or Cyrillic writing. It is simply assumed that you have other ways to learn these (e.g. the optional extra CDs or cassettes). There are few opportunities to consolidate your understanding (e.g. revision exercises): you are expected to grasp every grammar point and learn every word the first time you encounter it. There is a good English-Russian, Russian-English vocabulary section at the back, but the grammar topics are poorly indexed. Expect this book to become dog-eared as you thumb through it searching for the page where the grammar point that you need but can't quite remember is explained.
If you want to learn simply a little conversational or tourist Russian then this book is not for you. Buy this book if you want to learn written Russian to intermediate level, and have access to a tutor or previous experience of learning a language on your own. Buy the accompanying CDs or cassettes if you feel rich, otherwise look for other sources of spoken Russian to help you learn pronunciation. You will probably need to buy a grammar reference book later in your studies which covers this material.
I understand this is the book that Cambridge University recommend to complete beginners in Russian studies. Be warned then: you will need either a Russian tutor or the kind of motivation and self-discipline that you would expect from a Cambridge student. There is little space devoted to teaching you either pronunciation or Cyrillic writing. It is simply assumed that you have other ways to learn these (e.g. the optional extra CDs or cassettes). There are few opportunities to consolidate your understanding (e.g. revision exercises): you are expected to grasp every grammar point and learn every word the first time you encounter it. There is a good English-Russian, Russian-English vocabulary section at the back, but the grammar topics are poorly indexed. Expect this book to become dog-eared as you thumb through it searching for the page where the grammar point that you need but can't quite remember is explained.
If you want to learn simply a little conversational or tourist Russian then this book is not for you. Buy this book if you want to learn written Russian to intermediate level, and have access to a tutor or previous experience of learning a language on your own. Buy the accompanying CDs or cassettes if you feel rich, otherwise look for other sources of spoken Russian to help you learn pronunciation. You will probably need to buy a grammar reference book later in your studies which covers this material.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I take private Russian lessons, and this is the book I use. It is ambitious and highly useful, as you are likely to find anything you, as a beginner, will need to look up. The only thing is that it is not designed to be used alone, and you could find youself struggling if you don't have a teacher to guide you, or a basic book which spoonfeeds you everything.
Overall, however, it is a very handy book for the student of the Russian language.
Overall, however, it is a very handy book for the student of the Russian language.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was an indespensable companion on our first blind steps along the twisty, twisty road to a covetted degree in Russian.
Allied to a pile of hard work and close study, this book steers the aspiring Russian linguist through the basics of the language strategically. It can seem a little odd in its erratic approach at times; though this might be down to the sometimes mind boggling nature of Russian, and the frustration it can bring about, as opposed to the book itself. However, stick to the task and you will be rewarded as all becomes beautifully clear! (err, if only it was that simple.)
The first half of the book was enough to help make the thrilling environment of St Petersburg, and life in a typical family, a complete joy. A necessity for all students of this rich and complex language. A greater necessity, however is a trip to the great country itself! Go there! Take my car, drive to the airport, get on a plane; you won't regret it. I promise.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Better than I intially thought
We are going to live in Moscow for 3 years, so I needed to learn some Russian. My wife and I have accumulated a pile of Russian teach-yourself books and I had initially dismissed... Read more
Published 11 months ago by CK
Hard work but worth it
This is the text book which is used on the Russian evening class I am attending. I would agree with other reviewers that it is not suitable for total beginners and not ideal for... Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2008 by Caroline M. Turnbull
Truly appalling
I hate this book with a vengeance and have very few nice things to say about it. However, let's see what measly positive points it does have:
1) it is crammed with... Read more
1) it is crammed with... Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2007 by JR Anderson
this is not for beginners
This book is not for beginners; you are thrown in the deep end by learning difficult phrases early on. Read more
Published on 3 July 2005 by Mr. H. D. Phillips
A dense, discouraging but thorough introduction to Russian.
I've been wrestling with two Russian for Beginners books on my own for the last year. The end of this one is finally in sight, thank God. Read more
Published on 23 Nov 2001
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