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Rating: Summary: NOT RECOMMEND!!!!!! Review: About 50 % of the contents of the book - solid delirium! Do not speak so in Russian. There are separate successful articles. But as a whole - the one who does not know well Russian it is not recommended, as will bring of a harm.
Rating: Summary: Use with caution Review: As a graduate of the Russian programs at the University of Maryland and the Defense Language Institute, I have a solid grasp on Russian... When this book came out and I noticed that half the words weren't familiar to me even though I read contemporary Russian novels constantly, I had reason to be cautious. The next time I went to Russia, I asked a native who is my age (thirtysomething) to go through the book with a highlighting marker.Just as I suspected, close to half the words are not used by anyone old enough to drive a car or young enough to still be able to walk. There are some true gems in this book that will have natives practically bow to your knowledge of their language... Be careful with this book and don't even try using most of the words within unless you have a native speaker coaching you.
Rating: Summary: If It's Slang You Want, This Book Has It Review: From innocuous idiomatic expressions to vulgar profanities, this book provides a wide range of vocabulary that you won't find in Russian dictionaries. A quick caveat, however: If you aren't absolutely sure how to use the slang without inadvertently offending people, double-check with a native Russian speaker before you try some of these phrases out, because this book doesn't always give you an accurate description of the level of offensiveness of the words here listed. For example, the Russian word "blin" and the Russian equivalent of the "S" word are both described as being "rude". Yet the word "blin" is quite insipid, much like the English words "shucks" or "darn", whereas the other word is very offensive. Although this book is a reasonably well-compiled reference, I personally have found little need to study slang in depth because I just don't hear it very often, and I have no need to use it. If you find the profanities offensive and want a book without the garbage, I recommend you buy "2001 Russian and English Idioms" by Agnes Arany-Makkai.
Rating: Summary: If It's Slang You Want, This Book Has It Review: From innocuous idiomatic expressions to vulgar profanities, this book provides a wide range of vocabulary that you won't find in Russian dictionaries. A quick caveat, however: If you aren't absolutely sure how to use the slang without inadvertently offending people, double-check with a native Russian speaker before you try some of these phrases out, because this book doesn't always give you an accurate description of the level of offensiveness of the words here listed. For example, the Russian word "blin" and the Russian equivalent of the "S" word are both described as being "rude". Yet the word "blin" is quite insipid, much like the English words "shucks" or "darn", whereas the other word is very offensive. Although this book is a reasonably well-compiled reference, I personally have found little need to study slang in depth because I just don't hear it very often, and I have no need to use it. If you find the profanities offensive and want a book without the garbage, I recommend you buy "2001 Russian and English Idioms" by Agnes Arany-Makkai.
Rating: Summary: VERY dated material Review: Slang and colloquialisms change, and do so relatively quickly - for example, when was the last time you heard the term "goovy" used in everyday speech? Along these lines, _Russian Slang_ is terribly dated - the vast majority of the words have not been in use since well before the end of the cold war. While the words and their translations are fun, and the organization is good (as to whether the words are used by criminals, members of the military, by teens, etc), it really is not that useful.
Rating: Summary: VERY dated material Review: Slang and colloquialisms change, and do so relatively quickly - for example, when was the last time you heard the term "goovy" used in everyday speech? Along these lines, _Russian Slang_ is terribly dated - the vast majority of the words have not been in use since well before the end of the cold war. While the words and their translations are fun, and the organization is good (as to whether the words are used by criminals, members of the military, by teens, etc), it really is not that useful.
Rating: Summary: Words and expressions you won't learn in Russian class. Review: This book contains a lot of vulgar and profane words and expressions. If this is want you want, then this is the book for you. It not only contains translations but also gives examples. But be aware that the book is Russian-English only. Therefore finding the Russian equivalent to an English word is rather troublesome. But one nice feature of this book is the fact that it tells you in which circles words are used.(youth, military, criminal, etc.)
Rating: Summary: He's got a head like the house of soviets! Review: This book is hilarious! Of course about 50-70% of it is the most vile filth imaginable, and those who are easily offended should avoid this book. But there are parts that are genuinely amusing, like wordplays, borrowings from English, and cynical twists on soviet-era expressions that will leave you laughing!
Rating: Summary: Great for a slang dictionary Review: This dictionary is rather comprehensive, including words from Mafia, youth, and prison slang. When I went to Russia, I had a very hard time remembering slang, and especially figuring it out at times. If I had only bought this book before my trip! Since I was communicating mainly with young people of the Zaural region of Russia, they didn't use as much of the a la mode slang of Moscow or Petersburg. The author gives ample explanations of the words, where they come from, their level of vulgarity, and what they normally mean. I haven't seen any other slang dictionaries, so I'd have to say that this is an excellent choice for a student going to Russia.
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