Points of Russia: Exploring the Land of the Tsars

Examining Modern and Ancient Russian Scripts The Russian alphabet has been around for centuries, a symbol of the nation and its culture. But how has it evolved over the years, and what different types of scripts are used today? In this article, we'll take a look at some of the historic roots and present-day uses of Russian scripts. Looking Back at Old Russian Scripts The oldest form of Russian writing is the Cyrillic script, a writing system created by St. Cyril and St. Methodius in the 9th century. Before this period, the language of ancient Slavs used an adapted Greek alphabet, although their language was primarily oral and not written. The Cyrillic alphabet is still used in writing Russian today, but its look and shape have changed over the centuries. For example, the Smoothened Cyrillic script, sometimes called 'civil': evolved in the late 18th century when Peter the Great aimed to 'modernize' the script to a more Latin-like form. This was eventually replaced...

Making Sense of the Russian Language When it comes to traveling to Russia, one thing that can seem daunting is the Russian language. For many travelers, the language barrier can be a stumbling block in the beginning and can be intimidating to learn. However, with a bit of research and planning, you can make sense of the Russian language and make your trip a more memorable and rewarding experience. In this article, we'll make sense of the Russian language and provide you with the tools and resources for deciphering the language. For example, we'll cover the impact of Russian grammar on English-speaking travelers, the resources available for learning Russian, examples of commonly-used Russian phrases, and the different writing systems found in the Russian language. We'll finish up with a few tips and suggestions on making the most of your Russian language experience. rogov @ Unsplash The Basics of Russian Grammar Russian grammar consists...