Search by tag «Language » 11 results

• Born in USSR: Soviet Slang We Still Use

  Language is an ever-changing thing. It constantly adapts to what’s happening in society. Or does society change because of the language? That’s a topic for philosophers to argue about. What we know for sure is that each era comes with new words, and Soviet times were no exception.

  13.10.2025

• 6 Words With Unexpected Russian Origins

  Balalaika, samovar, matryoshka – ask anyone which Russian words are known around the world and they’ll bring up one of these. But there are many words in English and other languages that we use on an everyday basis without even suspecting that they originated from, or were popularized by, the Russian language. Let’s learn more about them!

  28.04.2025

• 5 More Russian Words With Unexpected Origins

  As you’ve learned from our previous article, Russian, just as any other language, is ripe with fascinating stories of cultural exchange, historical trends, and even comical misunderstandings. What do China and France have to do with Russian oranges – and which pastry might strike horror into language purists' hearts? Find out below.

  17.03.2025

• The Four Lost Letters of the Russian Alphabet

  If you’ve ever seen any text printed or written in Russian over a hundred years ago, you might’ve noticed that the letters are quite different from the ones in use today. And it’s not all about the fonts – the alphabet itself has undergone a number of changes over the decades. So, which letters have we lost along the way?

  03.03.2025

• What’s in a Name: 4 Russian Words With Unexpected Origins

  One of the best parts of learning a language is the opportunity to dig deep into etymology – the study of words and their origins – and discover all sorts of lucky accidents, historic events, and incredible connections between distant cultures. Here are a few Russian words that conceal within themselves some truly fascinating stories.

  20.01.2025

• 5 Toughest Russian Words to Pronounce

  These words may prove a challenge to a learner of the Russian language – but mastering them will be a sure sign that you’re on your way to high proficiency. Besides, they may also teach you a few things along the way!

  25.11.2024

• Zemlyachestva: Bridging Cultures and Reviving Traditions at ITMO

  Moving to a new country for higher education can be a daunting experience, especially when the cultural differences seem insurmountable. However, for international students at ITMO, the journey can be a lot less intimidating thanks to a remarkable student club known as Zemlyachestva.  

  31.10.2023

• ITMO Graduate Releases AR App For Speech Therapists

  Recent years have seen an increase in the number of speech disorder diagnoses, including minor ones that can be alleviated with timely speech therapy. Anastasia Pivovarova, an ITMO alumna, has developed an interactive AR app to assist speech therapists in their classes with pre-school children. The app is currently undergoing testing at an educational center in St. Petersburg.

  17.08.2023

• How Cyrillic Script Came to Be

  As you probably know, in Russia we use the Cyrillic alphabet as opposed to Latin. Why is that so, where did it come from, and were there other Slavonic scripts in the past?

  03.07.2023

• Mind-Blowing Research of the Month: Speaking Multiple Languages – Hot or Not?

  Have you ever considered speaking two or even more languages a superpower? Or maybe you would rather call it a burden? If you’ve ever wondered what science has to say on the effects of speaking multiple languages fluently, you are in luck – today we will look into the pros and cons of being multilingual.

  28.09.2021