16 Russian dialects, languages of Russia, and other Slavic languages
Page highlights
What will I learn here? |
The resources in this unit focus on introducing the language diversity of Russia and Russian in terms of official dialects, other Russian languages, peculiarities of the regional vocabulary and pronunciation, and related Slavic languages. The information includes a variety of links and videos that can be helpful in getting used to regional variation and understanding the differences between Russian and other official languages of Russia, as well as other Slavic languages, such as Ukrainian and Belarusian. This unit also includes videos of Russians speaking English: listening to these can improve listening comprehension for those working with the Russian-speaking immigrants in the U.S. |
What language level is it for? |
The resources on this page are in either Russian or English, depending on the original language of the resource. Most resources on this page are best suited for those with advanced Russian language proficiency. |
Other notes: |
Some ideas: Use these resources to better understand the variety of languages in Russia and languages similar to Russian. Use these resources as listening comprehension practice.
!!! This page contains multiple interactive H5P resources — they might not display in all browsers — read more here |
Quick links:
Resource 1: Here, you will find short explanations introducing you to the three official dialects of the Russian language. The information is in English.
Resource 2: This learning video talks about the three Russian official dialects in Russian. The video includes a transcript and the translation of the transcript into English. The video is followed by a short multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge of the three Russian dialects.
Resource 3: Here, you can find links to the audio and video recordings of the Russian dialects in the Russian National Corpus and hear more examples in the video lecture on the Russian dialects.
Resource 4: This collection of videos captures native speakers from different parts of Russia, highlighting subtle variations in pronunciation, unique local slang, and regional accents.
Resource 5: Here you will find information and videos that help those who know Russian understand its differences and similarities from the other two Eastern Slavic languages: Belarusian and Ukrainian.
Resource 6: Here, you will find information about other languages of and in Russia – some official languages in Russian republics, some are languages of the ethnic minorities.
Resource 7: This collection of videos is different from the other resources on this page because instead of focusing on the Russian language, it focuses on the examples of Russian-speaking people speaking English. Getting used to the Russian accent when hearing English is important when working with the Russian-speaking people here in the U.S. or in the Russian-speaking countries.
Dialects of the Russian language
The Russian language, spoken rather uniformly by millions of people in Russia and in Russian-speaking countries, also exhibits dialectal variation. The dialects of are generally categorized into three primary groups: Northern, Southern, and Central (or Transitional) dialects. Each group possesses unique characteristics that reflect the historical, geographical, and cultural influences of their respective regions.
Northern dialects are prevalent in areas north of Moscow, encompassing regions such as Arkhangelsk and Vologda. One of the distinguishing features of Northern dialects is the absence of vowel reduction, a phenomenon where vowels in unstressed positions are pronounced more clearly compared to other dialects.
Southern dialects, found in regions south of Moscow, including Tula, Ryazan, and Oryol, present a contrasting phonetic profile. Unlike Northern dialects, Southern dialects are characterized by significant vowel reduction, where vowels in unstressed positions are often pronounced less distinctly. This phonetic trait is coupled with unique intonation patterns that contribute to the distinctiveness of Southern dialects.
Central dialects occupy the regions between the Northern and Southern dialect zones, with Moscow being a prominent area where these dialects are spoken. These dialects combine elements from both Northern and Southern varieties to form the basis for Standard Russian. Standard Russian is the form of the language taught in schools and used in official communication across all Russia which leads to the rather uniform use of the Russian language no matter where you are in this large country.
Watch the video about Russian dialects
Listen to Russian dialects
- The Russian National Corpus (Национальный корпус русского языка) is a comprehensive and extensively annotated collection of Russian texts, designed to support linguistic research and analysis. It includes a wide array of written and spoken materials from different genres and periods, encompassing everything from classical literature and modern journalism to everyday conversations and dialect samples.
- Link to the corpus page featuring videos of people speaking various Russian dialects: click here to access
- Link to the corpus page featuring audio recordings of people speaking various Russian dialects: click here to access
- The video below is a lecture on the Russian dialects (in Russian) by Igor Isaev – specialist in Russian dialectology and phonetics, candidate of philological sciences, director of the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian State University for the Humanities.
- Time stamp for the Southern dialect: 3:41 – 7:36
- Time stamp for the Northern dialect: 8:46-11:50
- Time stamp for the Central dialects: 13:03 – 15:50 and 16:32 – 19:57
Listen to variations in Russian language
This collection of videos captures native speakers from different parts of Russia, highlighting subtle variations in pronunciation, unique local slang, and regional accents that give each area its distinct flavor. Understanding variations in the Russian language is important for Americans who plan to work in Russia or a Russian-speaking country or with Russian-speaking immigrants in the U.S. Hearing different regional accents, pronunciations, and local slang helps improve understanding and communication. For instance, recognizing regional slang can help in casual conversations, making you seem more relatable and welcoming, or less of an outsider if you’re in the part of the country where the regional variation is present. This knowledge can also prevent misunderstandings and show respect for the diverse cultures within the Russian-speaking world, which is valuable in both work and social settings.
Russian and its differences and similarities to other Slavic languages
This collection includes videos, exploring whether it would be easy for a Russian speaker to understand Belarusian and Ukrainian languages. Various historical and sociopolitical factors have resulted in significant portions of the populations in Belarus and Ukraine considering Russian their mother tongue or speak it as a second language; however, there is a clear trend of putting more emphasis on speaking Belarusian and Ukrainian languages, especially due to the most recent geopolitical events.
Russian and Belarusian, both East Slavic languages using the Cyrillic script, exhibit distinct differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Belarusian pronunciation is generally softer, with different stress patterns and the retention of vowel sounds that shift in Russian. The Belarusian alphabet includes unique characters like ў and і, absent in Russian. Vocabulary differences are significant, with Belarusian retaining more Slavic-origin words and Russian incorporating more foreign borrowings.
Other languages in Russia
Russia is a vast and diverse nation, both geographically and linguistically.
While Russian is the main official language, the country’s federal structure and ethnic diversity allow for the recognition of other official languages in various regions. Russia has over 190 ethnic groups, each with its own language and cultural heritage. This diversity is reflected in its linguistic policies. Currently, 35 languages have official status in different regions, such as Tatar in the Republic of Tatarstan, Bashkir in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Chechen in the Chechen Republic, Chuvash in the Chuvash Republic, and Sakha (Yakut) in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic.
Each of the Russian republics, a type of federal subject, has the right to have its own official language. This system allows regions to establish their own official languages alongside Russian, meeting the linguistic needs of local populations.
Recognizing multiple languages officially plays a crucial role in cultural preservation. There is a clear trend of ethnic minorities in Russia putting more effort into maintaining and restoring their cultural heritage.
In 2023, “Tymnyy Oҕуha” (“Bull of the Cold”) won the nomination for preserving the indigenous language at the imagineNATIVE film festival in Toronto. This cartoon is part of the cartoon almanac of the winter culture in the republic of Yakutia (Sakha) and it’s the first cartoon created in the Sakha language.
Listen to Russian-speakers speaking English
For foreigners aspiring to work in Russia or a Russian-speaking country, understanding various accents when people speak English is crucial. It is even more important for those working with Russian-speaking immigrants in the United States because understanding these accents is vital to provide accurate assistance and support, ensuring that the immigrants’ needs are properly understood and addressed.
English spoken with a Russian accent can have distinct phonetic features that may initially seem unfamiliar, potentially leading to misunderstandings in both professional and social interactions. Also, being able to understand these accents shows respect and adaptability, which helps build good relationships.
Check out these videos with Russian-speaking people from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus answering questions in English.
