Rojavin, Marina Books
Marina Rojavin received her PhD in Linguistics at the A. Potebnia Institute for Linguistics, National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine. She has published articles on linguistics and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Russian literary and cultural history. Dr. Rojavin currently teaches Russian at Temple University.2004 0-7734-6302-X
This book has no precedents in North America: it has features of a textbook – it provides brief grammatical explanations – but it is not a textbook, as it does not contain traditional descriptions of categories nor exercises. The book has features of a dictionary – it presents meanings of the words – but it is not a dictionary as it explains the use of the words in speech contexts based on a communicative approach to Russian language and culture.
This book represents a qualitative step forward in the pedagogical process of teaching and learning a foreign language. It is based on a comparative semantic analysis of Russian synonyms, antonyms, related words, cognates, and everyday expressions as contrasted with their English equivalents and is centered on explaining the contents of these words. It helps in bridging the gap between studying Russian grammar and the specific use of particular words in discourse, especially in contrasting or similar pairs or sets. It is indispensable for familiarizing learners with the semantic meanings of words. The book is valuable from the general pedagogical viewpoint because it better facilitates the students’ ability to learn and gain proficiency in the practical use of the Russian language. Learners will appreciate the inclusion of important Russian linguistic and cultural elements.
This book, designed for both Russian heritage and non-heritage learners and anyone who is beginning to study Russian, will prove useful to students as well as to teachers and to all who are interested in Russian. It is unique in addressing students’ learning needs according to their language heritage and background.