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| 01.11.2005
Welcome from SRAS!
 Winter is settling in here in Russia. The first heavy snowfall hit Moscow, though it is still not cold enough for the snow to stay long. This partly shows through in this issue of the SRAS newsletter which focuses on southern Russia and Central Asia, where it is still warm. We have been busy in this area recently, exploring several universities with exciting English language programs in journalism, international relations, and more. This newsletter brings introductory information about the area and we expect lots more about the programs and universities in our next.
Just two weeks are left to submit to the next issue of Vestnik, the Journal of Russian and Asian Studies. Submissions on all subjects will be considered, although those dealing with any aspect of Russia’s historical transition periods (the Mongol Invasion, the Revolution, Perestroika, etc.) are being given precedence. |
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News: Moscow City Elections
Moscow is preparing for what will likely be the most hotly contested city duma elections since the establishment of the Russian Federation. The Moscow metro is covered with posters from an ad campaign aimed at encouraging voter turnout with the slogan "Выборы в городе? Пора думаться." (Are there elections in the city? It’s time to think.) Parties registered for the elections will receive free television airtime (ostensibly in equal portions) beginning November 7th. We hope to cover these elections as they develop on our site, as well as in next month’s newsletter. |
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Russian Business: Credit and Banking
Few areas of Russian society are as progressive as its banks. Of course, this has been achieved because it has been profitable to do so – putting credit in the hands of "average people" (народ) represents an explosive growth market (рынок роста). This new article from SRAS details some of the history and the modern challenges to and developments in credit and banking in the Russian market. |
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Politics and History: The Great Game in Brief
"The Great Game" is a term often used to refer to how world politics affect Central Asia and India. Most historians see a distinct continuity in this starting from 1813 with a near-century of British-Russian imperial animosities and continuing today, now pitting the international powers of Russia, the US, and China against one another. This short reader is designed to briefly introduce students to the historical and modern international politics at play in Central Asia.
Note: SRAS is currently working to expand its educational offerings in Central Asia and increase the amount of information available from our site about the region. We expect to publish several more articles and interviews in the near future. |
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Featured Program: Scholarships for NGO interns!
We are seeking qualified, self-starter interns for specially formulated, scholarship-eligible NGO internships based in Moscow or St. Petersburg, Russia. The reasons for this new program are multiple. First, we wish to encourage our students to be more pro-active while in Russia, to seek out more immersive language experiences, to meet more people who live and work in Russia, and to use their time abroad to maximize their resume. Second, we have recently come in contact with NGOs who can provide exceptionally active and interesting internships which can serve a variety of interests, from translation to law to web design. Third, we believe in supporting these NGOs to work social change in Russia. More information about these internships and the scholarship is available here. |
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Travel - Sochi, the Russian Riviera
Sochi is almost all mountains, forest, and beach. More than 80% of the territory is part of a national park or the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve. Historical and architectural monuments, unique flora and fauna, magnificent panoramas, canyons, caves, and waterfalls are all found around this "Russian Riviera" dominated by skiing, swimming, concerts, and festivals. Sochi also once hosted a highly respected system of "sanatoria" that were frequented by the Soviet rich and famous. Read more here. |
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Word for word – Дословно
Idioms and sayings can often be a translator's nightmare; seldom can the full meaning, humor, and impact be directly carried to another language. However, there are some examples from internationally popular literature that can be used with little variation. Take, for example, Shakespeare: ("Все хорошо, что хорошо кончается;" "All’s well that ends well." "Не все то золото, что блестит;" "All that glitters is not gold."); or the Bible: ("Что посеешь, то пожнешь;" "You reap what you sow").
Other similar collocations are more debatable as to what their origins were or how the entered one language or another. For example, "take the bull by the horns" has existed in English since at least 1711, but Russians often attribute the phrase "Возьми быка за рога" to peasant wisdom predating 1711, as shaking a bull this way to get it to pull a plow has long been known to be effective. Other sources, incidentally, assume the phrase to be originally Greek, connected to a rodeo-type game which may have been part of the original Olympics.
A few other examples of near-exact matches:
To see the world through rose colored glasses - Смотреть на мир через розовые очки
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth - Дареному коню в зубы не смотрят
Better late than never - Лучше поздно, чем никогда |
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