Learn the Russian Accent

(74.7MB, 76 minutes) 2011 Edition

This download includes a written examination for learning a Russian accent, and the following sound files featuring Accent Help coach Jim Johnson:

Play Audio Sample:

1. Introduction to Sound Placement, Intonation and Helpful Hints for speaking with a Russian accent (6:14)
2. Consonant sound changes for a Russian accent (18:42)
3. Vowel sound changes for learning a Slavic accent (8:43)
4. changes in Diphthongs for speaking with a Russian accent (1:28)
5. Alternate Pronunciations of words in a Russian accent (3:35)
6. Wrap up to Russian accent training (1:40)
7. Russia Female reading (1:36)
8. + her conversation (5:09)
9. Stravroposi Russia Male reading (1:13)
10. + his conversation (4:09)
11. Georgia (Slavic) Male reading (1:35)
12. + his conversation (4:09)
13. S Central Russia Female reading (1:25)
14. + her conversation (4:02)
15. Russia Male reading (:59)
16. + his conversation (3:41)
17. Russian Male conversation (8:15)

Russia is an enormous country with most of the population to the far west, which is near a number of other Slavic countries that have a lot of accent elements in common.  There are a number of surrounding countries that used to be a part of the USSR with Russia: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Maldava, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbajan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.  Significant elements of Russian accents carry over into the accents of the rest of the former USSR.

Whatever accent you're working on, it's a good idea to get our FREE guide to learning accents and dialects - it will help you to get started with some basic terms and ideas for learning accents.  It's also included with this download.

Though these sound files have been remastered to reduce background noise, most of these recordings are made "in the field" so you will hear such things as birds, cars or other people in the background.  A transcription of the conversations is included to help you follow along.  This download also contains four versions of the written materials:  A printer-friendly pdf, a pdf that is in a larger format for use on a portable reading device, and both mobi and epub editions for other portable readers.