I was taught Russian for 7 years in the middle and high school in Mongolia. Mongolians used to be very close to Russian culture: Russian TV channels, literature, goods, Russian schools and teachers. And they still are... Almost everyone spoke Russian.
The important thing is they helped to build Mongolian economy, infrastructure, education and health sector from nothing. After Mongolian People's Revolution of 1921 Soviet Union built the first school and hospital in Mongolia.
Before the revolution in Mongolian land there were a few Buddhist temples and practically nothing else. The country we have now, was started being built after the revolution of 1921.
But now some Mongolian people, politicians even historians and linguists became very nationalistic. Some people are trying discredit the leader of the revolution and great importance of the revolution. For example, Mongolian new language law from last year it was a step back. More about this law in future posts...
It seems some people become obsessed by Genghis Khan. OK, Genghis Khan was a big part of our history but not our future. We should raise kind, tolerant and globally thinking new generation.
So get back to my Russian. Russian language me made it a bit easier to learn Slovak. Because both of them are Slavic languages. They have in common gendered nouns. But they are in most aspects completely different languages.
I haven't spoken Russian for a long time. Sporadically I used it in Moscow when I travel to Mongolia.
Recently I watched American TV series called " The Americans." There are lots of conversation in Russian. I enjoyed the Russian conversations very much. I still understand it. So it is a good thing, isn't it?
We don't forget things easily, right? You learnt it while watching TV series. And I loved your idea about Gangies Khan. I would love to read more about it. I think you must realise that your English is very good, better than many who knew it since ages.
ReplyDeleteI know that you love movies. I will give you names of some good movies about Genghis Khan. Thank you for your lovely words!
DeleteWe don't forget things easily, right? You learnt it while watching TV series. And I loved your idea about Gangies Khan. I would love to read more about it. I think you must realise that your English is very good, better than many who knew it since ages.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind people being nationalistic, but you're right, it's getting out of hands in Mongolia
ReplyDeleteNationalism is a bad thing. In other hand, it is important to remember a native language. In Russia, many little nations forgot their native language so they have lost their unical culture and many nations have disappeared in that way. I am Asian and my nation is Sakha. I live in Sakha republic. We are a not big nation that consist of 450 thousand people. 30 % our words are from Mongol language, so we have common with Mongol nation. As a russian sitizen, I have learned Russian for 11 years and I still don't know whole language rules, because Russian is hard to learn. But it is a very interesting and complex language, many classic books were written in that language and many world-known writers were Russian.
ReplyDeleteHi. Thank you for your very interesting and thoughtful comment. You are right, people should not forget their native language. I know that Russian Federation consist of many minorities. For example, Buryats. Their native language is Mongolian. But I assume young generation of Buryats can not speak Mongolian. By the way, your English is excellent.
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