Home | Schedule

Russian 608: Phonetics and Advanced Grammar

Russian 608 will be devoted to expanding students’ understanding of the phonetic system of Russian and of selected difficult topics in Russian grammar.  In class we will spend much of class time applying this theoretical knowledge with the goals of improving students’ pronunication and intonation, broadening students’ vocabulary, and improving students’ grammatical accuracy.  To appreciate and analyze how phonetics, intonation and grammar work in the whole system of Russian and to keep up students’ listening and reading comprehension, we will examine two longer "texts" this semester: the detective novel Смерть ради смерти by A. Marinina and the televised version of this story.

Required texts (available in KU bookstore)

Wade, Terrence. A Comprehensive Russian Grammar. 2nd ed. Blackwell, 2000.

Ozhegov, S. I. and N.Iu. Shvedova. Слоарь русского языка. Various editions, preferably edition containing at least 70,000 words

--------

Marinina, Aleksandra. Смерть ради смерти. Moscow: Eksmo-Press, 2000. 430 pp.

Video: Каменская: Смерть ради смерти. Pyramid Home Video/NTV-Kino.

[Both available from: http://www.st-p.com and phone: 800-531-1037; Fax 718-368-2231 Catalog Numbers: В-14496 and V-523]

Other materials and biweekly schedules will be accessible following links from: http://www.ku.edu/~russcult  please check this site frequently since I will be updating it continually.

Students are encouraged to attend the Russian lunch table (Kansas Union, Alcove C, 12-1:30 Fridays), to watch the Russian news casts regularly as well as watch the other classics of Russian and Soviet film available on video tape that are available from the Academic Resource Center , 4069 Wescoe.  For titles, check out the online catalog at: www.ku.edu/~egarc

Office Hours

I will have office hours on Mondays from 1:00-2:30 and Wednesdays from 9-10am  and by appointment.  You can arrange appointments by email (wjcomer@ku.edu) or by phone: 785-864-4701.

Attendance

Since this class focuses on the development of your skills to speak and understand Russian,  your attendance and active participation is a significant component of your final grade.

Absences

In the event that you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to find out what happened in class and to make up that material.  Quizzes and Tests are expected to be taken on the days scheduled; if you have a medical or personal emergency and cannot take the quiz or test, notify me BEFORE your exam.  We will be willing to schedule a make-up exam ONLY if you contact us before the quiz or test is to be given.  For medical absences please bring a note from your doctor or the student health service.

Students with Disabilities

The staff of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), 135 Strong, 785-864-2620 (v/tty), coordinates accommodations and services for KU courses.  If you have a disability for which you may request accommodation in KU classes and have not contacted them, please do as soon as possible. Please also see me privately in regard to this course.

Grading

In grading the pronunciation and writing assignments for this course, I will take into account the degree of improvement that students show over the course of the semester. Other assignments (phonetic transcription, grammatical exercises, etc) will be graded on an objective scale.

Your grades will be calculated in the following manner:

25%

Class attendance and participation

30%

Homework and weekly diary entry

25%

Quizzes (oral and written)

20%

Final exam

Students are responsible for the academic integrity of their work!

Bibliography

Practical Phonetics

Bratus’ B. V. and L. A. Verbitskaia, Пособие по фонетике для иностранных студентов-филологов. Moscow: Russkii iazyk, 1983.

Bryzgunova,  E. A. Звуки и интонация русской речи. 2nd edition. Moscow: 1972 [The text and a complete recordings are available in EGARC. Call number: RUS 021]

Odintsova, I. V. Пособие по фонетике и интонации русской звучащей речи. Moscow: Izd-vo Mosckovskogo universiteta , 1988

Structural Linguistic Approaches

Hamilton, William S. Introduction to Russian Phonology and Word Structure.  Columbus, OH: Slavica, 1980.

Townsend, Charles E.  Russian Word-Formation. Corrected edition. Cambridge, MA: Slavica, 1975

Russian Linguistics Studies

Avanesov, R. I. Русское литературное произношение. 6th ed. Moscow: Prosveshchenie, 1984. (This text was frequently reprinted in Soviet times since it was a main text for preparing future teachers of Russian).

Beloshapkov, V. A., ed. Современный русский язык. 3rd ed. Moscow: Azbukovnik, 1999.

Reference

Borunova, S. N. Орфоэпический словарь русского языка: произношение, ударение, грамматические формы. Moskva : "Russkii iazyk", 1983.

Zalizniak, A. A.  Грамматический словарь русского языка. 2nd ed. Moscow: Russkii iazyk, 1980

Ageenko, A. L. Словарь ударений русского языка. Moscow: Airis Press, 2000.  Formerly titled: Словарь ударений для работников радио и телевидения.

Home | Schedule


Page written by William J. Comer
Last updated on August 22, 2002