h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi, Nora

Nice to see another researcher around here who speaks Russian (though I forgot almost everything I learned in school).

Just one little correction: Latin has five cases (the 5th being the "ablativus", which resembles the Russian "instrumental" (?).)

Do you want this entry to become part of the Edited Guide? In that case, you would have to remove some I's (as in "I think it's worthwhile...") (Although *I* do like your personal perspective.)

As far as I know, Russian also borrowed from German (e.g. butterbrod for sandwhich), but Russian also influenced French (Bistro is derived from the Russian word for "fast, quickly". French officers heard Russian soldiers order their meals at little bars, and the Russians demanded to get it "bystro!" )

Anyway, I like your entry, and...

Welcome to h2g2

Yelbakk

Hi, Yelbakk!
Most of the people I've talked to about Russian forgot what they learned of it. I'm hoping it'll help that I'm learning as a hobby, not in a class, and from a friendly native (or near-native - my friend is Ukrainian) speaker.
Thanks very much for the grammatical correction and the other tips. I've made some changes accordingly - see what you think! I would like to get it in the Edited Guide - do you think I should try? I've done what I can to eliminate 'I's, though it's a bit awkward.
I love your (multi-co-edited) university article! I've just been looking into costs for the first time. The only problem for me is that a hall space is not reliably attainable in Irish universities. Most of them are hopelessly overcrowded, and the few existing spaces are largely reserved for fourth-year students. Don't ask me why. Flats are almost equally hard to find. Anyway, I appreciate the other advice.
- Nora

Hi Nora,

You wouldn't believe how surprized I was to find me listed as contributor to the Uni-entry: I only made *one* single sugestion... But thanks for liking it, anyway .

Yes, I do think your entry should go into the EdGuide. I know that the rule about the I's can be a pain in the butt, but we'll just have to put up with that.

Ok, now I'm off to look at your enrty again.

Yelbakk

Hi!

Well, what do you think? Like the changes? Hate them? Any more to suggest? I looked up how to make footnotes, and converted a couple of my parenthetic phrases. I hope it tidies things up a bit. I know the alteration of my final "I" phrase leaves a lot to be desired, but I assume whoever edits it will tidy it up to their satisfaction. Haven't asked for editing yet, as I'm not sure we're finished. It's been great to have your input - don't disappear!

Nora

Hi, Nora,
the entry looks good - footnotes are a pretty handy thing . The second footnote is likely to be taken out by the sub-ed, but you're right to put it there to ask people for their help.

As to the perfective/ imperfective verb stuff - English has the category of ASPECT, too. Compare "John drives the bus (What is John's job?)" to "John is driving the bus (Where is John?)". Doesn't the Russian ASPECT function similarly?

Maybe you could also add a footnote which explains the six cases.
Like 1) Nominative - grammatical subject. JOHN smokes.
2) Genitive - indicates possession - This is JOHN'S cigarette.
3) Dative - „recipient" of an action - I give JOHN a cigarette.
4) Accusative - the object of an action - I give John a CIGARETTE.
5) Instrumental - John got burned BY A CIGARETTE.
6) Prepositive (that's what we called it in German, anyway) - Always needs to have a preposition - John talkes ABOUT HIS LAST CIGARETTE.

I don't even know anymore if that is the way the cases work, but that is how I seem to remember it .

As to the final „I"-phrase, how about „However, it is well worth the effort"?

Oh, and YES, the entry *should* go into the guide. Just go to the Peer Review page, and start a new converstion. The title must have the A-number AND the name of the entry. In the text-area, you need to put the entire http...-adress (it will automatically become a link). It will also be nice if you give a little description of what the entry is about, or how it is structured.

Ok, so much for now, and I hope to see you at Peer Review.

Yelbakk

I woke up this morning and remembered something about Russian: In school, we always knew whether the percective or the imperfective verb was called for. However, we never knew which verb was which .
Could you give examples of such verbs? Just to show the difficulties, as in chodit' vs. idty (go, walk (info for the mods)).

Another difficult bit for us to master was the different syllable structures. You can have numbers of letters in a row that could never go together in German or English (as in "united" - vzyazan (or something))

Anyway, please do submit your entry to PR.

Yelbakk

Thanks! I'll touch it up and submit it this evening. Right now I have to go to my Russian "class"!

Nora

Just about done with the changes; I'll submit the entry in the morning. I think you should have a reference in the sidebar if you want it - we've really co-written it ! Thanks again, especially for pointing out my grievous error on aspects.

Nora

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