The Russian Language
A Brief History

This work traces the Russian language from its origins for the Common Slavonic to the twentieth century.

G. O. Vinokur (Author), Mary A. Forsyth (Translated by), James Forsyth (Edited by)

9780521131544, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 18 February 2010

160 pages
21.6 x 14 x 0.9 cm, 0.21 kg

Professor Vinokur (1896–1947) discusses each of the stages in the development of Russian from its Common Slavonic source, and the growing dominance of the dialect of Moscow from the sixteenth century, up to the ninenteenth century when the language had virtually reached its present form and into the twentieth century. Each stage is illustrated by extensive quotation, all examples of Old Russian being translated into English, but examples in modern Russian appearing in the original only. This 1971 text will be of value to students of Russian with a basic linguistic grounding who are beginning their study of the historical development of the language.

List of maps and illustrations
Symbols used
1. The Slavonic languages
2. Russian dialects
3. The origin of the Russian literary language
4. Texts in the history of Russia
5. The structure of Old Russian
6. The Russian literary language in the earliest period
7. The literary language in the 15th–17th centuries
8. Towards a single Russian language
9. The literary language of the Age of Classicism
10. The creation of the national standard language
11. The literary language in the 19th and 20th centuries
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Educational: English language & literacy [YQC]