Did I hear that right?

Originally Posted by Dave1

I think I am going to get beaten up when I go over there.

Originally Posted by Dave1

I have recently started learning to speak Russian using a well-known set of learning cd's. The instructions caution against using any other source while learning--just listen to the cd's and learn to speak Russian the natural way.

In the first lesson I learned that if I don't understand something I'm supposed to enthusiastically state "YIPANEE MY OH!"

I also learned that "Red Square" is pronounced "crappy bullsh*t", and that if I want to offer someone a drink I should say "knee chilly bubba stonybutt whipit".

I think I am going to get beaten up when I go over there.

Originally Posted by Chillidog

May I inquire to what 'well known' set of learning CD's that you are using?
Pimsleur?
I would highly advise that you also regardless of what they caution to learn the Russian/Cryillic alphabet and how these letters are pronounced, it will help greatly in your knowledge and ablity to pronounce the words better, and be able to read at least some of the signs when you are over there

Originally Posted by Dave1

Blucatz, you don't need to learn cyrillic, you need to learn hieroglyphics!

Originally Posted by Stirlitz

Years ago I translated for an English engineer who helped to set up a furnace at a plant in Odessa. When he was done he wished to say good-bye personally to each worker and asked me how it sounded in Russian. It is Do svidanya. So he shook hands with everybody and later casually asked me, "So, what does do svidanya mean?" I could not help a practical joke and also casually answered that it meant "fvck you" Even though I instantly said "sorry, I mean good-bye", the man seemed to have lost his breath for a moment

Originally Posted by too_tall

There was a guy who espoused the theory that tone deaf people
will struggle mightily to learn a foreign language. I am not sure this
is true since I have never heard it told by anyone else.

In the pimsleur cds the woman's pronounciation is better than the mans.

Udachi,

Bill

Originally Posted by Dave1

I noticed that the woman includes an "s" at the end of most words that end with a "t", whereas the man doesn't; i.e. she says "shtoneyboots weepits" and he says "shtoneyboot weepit" for "something to drink"

Originally Posted by stevo

If you saw it written down it would make sense. Both words have a soft sign (looks like a small "b") at the end to indicate that the preceding consonant should be palatalised. A soft sign is the only difference between the words for "mother" and "profanity"!

Originally Posted by stevo

I felt Pimsleur also went out of its way to dodge complicated grammatical issues.

My wife thinks the woman is overemphasising the pronunciation a bit and the man is speaking more naturally.

Originally Posted by Buckeye5704

Just wait til you start spending quality time with your new подруга (girlfriend). моя женщина (my woman, she HATES girlfriend) is teaching me the российские слова (Russian words) for the "fun" body parts. You know, toes, fingers... Hey, what were YOU thinking anyway? This is a family channel after all.

Because I can. (потому что я могу.)

Originally Posted by Tim

You know, toes, fingers.

Originally Posted by blucatz

If she hates "Girlfriend" then what do you call her?

Originally Posted by Chrismc

Does she call her toes fingers too many of them do, because they don't differentiate in Russian between the two.

I was once with a UW and she said her fingers were cold, I told her to put some gloves on, she said, you can't wear gloves on your feet

Originally Posted by Dave1

I just got back from Yalta. I found Pimsleur helpful, though I only did "converational Russian" (Lessons 1 - 16). I spent a lot of time saying (in Russian) "excuse me, do you understand English?" The oddest reply I got was "toot toot"; I took that as a no.