Learn Russian
The former Cold War superpower is starting to flex its geopolitical muscles again
Why not get ahead of the geopolitical curve and study Russian? Though it has never been a top foreign language among American students, Russian did grow in popularity during the Cold War. And the wealth of Russian history and literature has always made learning the tongue rewarding enough for many. Now, a resurgent and more nationalistic (though post-communist) Russia is again doing some muscle flexing, albeit much more modestly than in the past. American students currently rank Russian eighth on a list of foreign languages that interest them. But with Russia widely pegged as a re-emerging great power—and taking a tough line against a range of American policies—mastering the tongue of the Kremlin could well come to regain some cachet. And, if not, you still could read Dostoevski in the original form, not to mention order a vodka in Moscow with a certain grace.
Reader Comments
Русский Язык
Russian is a difficult language to be sure, and should definitely not be taken lightly. I am only in my fist year of studying the language, but I can tell you confidently say that even among those with a knack for languages, Russian takes a special sort of mindset and dedication in order to succeed.
That said, I'm not discouraging anyone from trying. I definitely agree that Russian can be a fulfilling experience and its importance is bound to grow in the coming years. More people should definitely try it out and see what they think.
Russian for Russian's Sake
Learning Russian was one of the most rewarding and satisfying things I have done in my life. Although I had assumed that, once attaining fluency, I would eventually be able to actively utilize my Russian on an ongoing basis in my professional life -- an assumption which thus far has largely proven false-- the challenge in itself of unpacking the complexities of this difficult language, of peeling through the layers of this rich, enigmatic culture, has itself been so rewarding that I rarely lament having studied a language that can oftentimes prove difficult to translate into a career, especially in the US market.
From my experience, by the time one starts enjoying Dostoevsky in the original, one has long since put aside any concern of using one's Russian 'profitably'.
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