Speech culture is a problem that is often raised by the authors of texts found in Unified State Examination forms in the Russian language. We have identified the most popular aspects of this problem and selected arguments for each of them. All of them are available for download in table format, link at the end of the article.
- M. A. Bulgakov in “Heart of a Dog” raised the problem of neglect of speech culture. Sharikov, transformed from a dog into a man, expressed himself ugly. He was rude and ill-mannered: he was rude to people, distorted his speech, and came up with offensive nicknames. The man constantly argued with the professor who transformed him and insulted him. He also lied about his origins to the woman he wanted to marry. But the most terrible consequence of such an attitude towards language is a complete loss of mutual understanding with the world. good people turned away from Sharikov, and those who only used him for their own greedy purposes became his interlocutors.
- In the play “The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky the image of the wealthy merchant Wild is presented. This is a grumpy and ill-mannered person who cannot live a day without a quarrel. In addition, he is a coward: he insults only those who are weaker than him and lower in position, not daring to contradict those who are more significant. At the same time, the man torments his family, with whom he is always dissatisfied. Dikoy is a vivid example of a person who has problems with speech culture. Because of this, he also faces misunderstanding and becomes a lonely person whose only salvation is money. Without them, no one needs him.
Lack and enrichment of vocabulary
- The issue of speech culture was touched upon Jack London in the novel Martin Eden. The main character is a sailor who fell in love with a girl from high society. He wanted to be like her and her family, but at first he didn't know how to behave or express himself. The people Martin met spoke abstruse words that he had only encountered in books or did not know at all. His new environment was engaged in intellectual work and considered it necessary to receive an education. Martin Eden followed suit and learned to express himself beautifully, intelligently and politely, in which he succeeded, and later became a writer and journalist. Reading books helped him a lot in self-development.
- In the work of I. A. Goncharov “Oblomov” main character Ilya, who was distinguished by a passive character and lack of activities, fell in love with Olga, a beautiful and talented noblewoman. The desire to please her forced him to begin self-education. The man began to read books, walk around the city and go to balls, where he picked up smart words and improved the culture of his speech. For some time, Ilya Oblomov even became a completely different person for the sake of the woman he loved: competent, active, polite and well-spoken. Two things helped him succeed: communicating with interesting people and reading.
Clogging speech with jargon
- The work of A. I. Solzhenitsyn “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” filled with prison slang. This is due to the fact that people are in their own special world, separated from the rest of society. Instead of “inform” they say “knock”, instead of “chief of operational communications” they say “godfather”. Prisoners are also called in slang - by number, not by first and last name. Thus, the atmosphere that reigned in the prison is shown: the lack of rights of prisoners and disrespect for them. After all, the attitude towards speech is a reflection of the attitude towards oneself. Prisoners are fundamentally broken and degraded people who find no reason to respect themselves or their surroundings. Therefore, any person who gives himself credit should not pollute his speech, otherwise society will treat him as if he himself is not needed, and even more so for him.
- Jargons can be found in the works of V.V. Mayakovsky. For example, in the poem “About Rubbish”. The author, who is a supporter of revolutionary ideas, uses words such as “murlo”, “scum”, “figure”. This indicates the level of his speech culture. Despite his high intelligence and creative talent, V.V. Mayakovsky considers the use of jargon acceptable. This creates a certain atmosphere of the work, and also accurately expresses the thoughts and feelings of the author. Thus, slang vocabulary can find application in art, but still in life, in communication with family and friends, colleagues and passers-by, this manner of expression can have a detrimental effect on relationships.
- One of the problems of speech culture is poor diction. In the book by M.N. Botvinnik and M.B. Rabinovich "Biographies of famous Greeks and Romans" written about the ancient Greek orator Demosthenes. In his youth, he had a weak voice, lisped, stuttered and did not know how to behave in front of an audience. However, after a series of failures in performances, I got the idea to correct my shortcomings. Demosthenes worked hard and after some time trained his voice, and his performances became successful.
- In J. K. Rowling's saga "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" There is such a character - Professor Quirrell. He faked a stutter so that no one would suspect him of being related to the evil wizard Voldemort. At the same time, Quirrell tried to set the main character, a schoolboy, and his company against another teacher. A man who stuttered was considered weak and worthless until they learned that behind the feigned problems with diction and self-doubt there was calculation and betrayal. Thus, a disadvantage can become a weapon in the hands of a person, it all depends on perception and abilities.
- L. B. Geraskina in the story entitled “In the Land of Unlearned Lessons” raises the issue of illiteracy. Loser student Viktor Perestukin found himself in a place where he needed knowledge from the school curriculum in order to pass the tests. One of them was the famous sentence: “Execution cannot be pardoned,” where a comma had to be inserted. The boy's fate depended on its location. He solved this problem and survived, realizing how important literacy is.
Problems with diction
Illiteracy in writing and reading
Date of publication: 04/17/2017
The problem of preserving the culture of the Russian language (the problem of language clogging) - ready-made arguments
Possible theses:
- Changes from the “high and mighty” are necessary, even if it causes inconvenience to people
- The change in the Russian language has a particularly painful impact on the lives of the older generation
- Due to the appearance of new words in the language, difficulties may arise in understanding the interlocutor
- The Russian language is not in danger of dying; it is so flexible that it can adapt to any changes
- Indeed, we cannot do without borrowed words, however, their excessive use makes it very difficult to understand the text (speech)
- By using buzzwords, people clog up their speech, which complicates communication between people
- Excessive use of borrowed words clogs speech
In the book “The Russian Language is on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” Maxim Krongauz says that our world is changing and therefore the emergence of new words, even borrowed ones, is a normal phenomenon. If the language does not change, it will cease to fulfill its functions. The linguist gives an interesting example: global warming led to the fact that the Eskimos did not have enough words in their language to give names to animals moving to the polar regions globe.
M. Krongauz popular science book “The Russian language is on the verge of a nervous breakdown”
In the book “The Russian Language is on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” Maxim Krongauz came to the conclusion that significant changes in our language worry mainly the older generation. There are too many new words, and they blur the boundaries of the literary language, which frightens and irritates people who are accustomed to this language.
M. Krongauz popular science book “The Russian language is on the verge of a nervous breakdown”
M. Krongauz did not avoid this problem either. The linguist believes that concerns about the Russian language are groundless, but at the same time notes that its rapid changes make it difficult for people to communicate, especially if they belong to different generations.
M. Krongauz popular science book “The Russian language is on the verge of a nervous breakdown”
Linguist M. Krongauz does not see a threat to the Russian language, reading that it is not afraid of either the flow of borrowings and jargon, or the changes that are taking place in it. The Russian language will “digest” all this, retaining some, discarding some, developing new norms, and stability will come in place of chaos.
A. Knyshev “News on air”
A. Knyshev does not hide his ironic attitude towards the topic under discussion. Using the example of the story “On the Air of News,” where the news presenter uses mostly borrowed words, which makes his speech extremely incomprehensible, he shows what will happen to the Russian language if we oversaturate it with “foreign words.”
A. Knyshev “News on air”
In a short story, A. Knyshev makes fun of people who mainly use borrowed words to demonstrate their “modernity.” Using the example of a news anchor whose monologue is difficult to read and almost impossible to understand, the satirical writer shows how ridiculous the speech of a person who follows the fashion for words sounds.
A. Knyshev “News on air”
In A. Knyshev’s story “On the Air of News”, the host of the program cannot be understood, since his speech is oversaturated with borrowed words. Of course, when portraying the image of a modern speaker, the writer deliberately exaggerates, however, the humorous text once again proves that it is more difficult for people to understand the speaker if he uses too many borrowed words.
Example from life
The emergence of new, including borrowed, words is necessary. “Computer”, “smartphone”, “slow cooker” alarmed and confused people, but today we use these words more often than the original Russian “well” or “kalach”. It’s even more difficult to imagine that “car” and “TV,” not to mention “potatoes,” were once incomprehensible to Russians. The world is changing, and language is forced to adapt so that people can understand each other.
The Russian language constantly interacts with other world languages. In the novel in verse, A.S. Pushkin, describing Onegin’s outfit, says that “... trousers, tailcoat, vest, all these words are not in Russian.” Surprisingly, centuries have passed, and no one remembers that these words were once disowned, considering them frivolous and discourteous. At the beginning of the 19th century, they were considered relatively new types of clothing, the terminology of which had not yet been fully established. The selection of Russian names was slow. But with the light hand of Pushkin, we consider these words to be our own and do not think about their origin. One can argue whether the Russian language has become richer, but it certainly has not become poorer, because today instead of a sleeveless jacket we say “vest”, and instead of short pants we say “knickers”. Although, we can safely say that this word is gradually becoming obsolete.
2. A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin"
In the eighth chapter, Tatiana’s appearance is surrounded by an aura of enthusiasm and secular apotheosis. Pushkin that Tatyana was “a true snapshot of Du comme il faut...” And then the author asks for forgiveness from the Slavophiles: “Shishkov, forgive me. I don’t know how to translate.” The expression translated from French means decent, decent, as it should be. Usually this expression is used in an ironic sense, but here Pushkin uses this word - comme il faut - in a positive sense, everything that is not vulgar (that is, not vulgar, that is, not primitive, vulgar). The author talks about this later.
No one could find it in it
That autocratic fashion
In high London circle
It's called vulgar. (I can't...
I love this word very much
But I can’t translate;
It’s still new to us,
And it is unlikely that he will be honored.
It would be suitable for an epigram...
Vulgar - primitive - has become absolutely our word used in colloquial speech.
3. A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit"
Alexander Andreevich Chatsky acts as a defender of the Russian national language. He finds it inappropriate to use French in his own country, at least. To be closer to the people. In his monologue he says:
At conventions, at big ones, on parish holidays?
A confusion of languages still prevails:
French with Nizhny Novgorod?
Assuming that the past three years might have changed something. Griboedov, through the mouth of Chatsky, expresses his negative attitude towards the use of the French language in everyday life.
4. L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”
In the novel, the author conveys a situation when, after the Battle of Borodino, representatives of St. Petersburg society decide to abandon the use of French words in their speech. However, such a decision is difficult to implement, since in high society it is not customary to speak Russian and many simply do not know the meaning of French words in their native language. L.N. Tolstoy clearly does not sympathize with representatives of high society, believing that in difficult times all citizens should unite, and language is one of the main means contributing to this.
5. K. Paustovsky
believed: “We have been given possession of the richest, most accurate, powerful and truly magical Russian language.” Our outstanding writer believed that true love for one’s country is unthinkable without love for one’s language. Russian literature is the pride of the nation, the names of Pushkin, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Bulgakov are a world heritage, they are read and loved on all continents. “Many Russian words themselves radiate poetry, just as gems radiate a mysterious shine."
- The Russian language is our common heritage, which must be preserved
- Most people have forgotten the value of their native language
- Internet communication is a serious test for the Russian language
- Love for your language is manifested in careful handling of words, studying the rules of the language and the peculiarities of their use
- Distortion of words has a negative impact on the development of the Russian language and the preservation of its charm
- You can tell a lot about a person by how he treats his language.
Arguments
T. Tolstaya “Kys”. With their irresponsibility, people have caused enormous damage to the language. Its former beauty and melodiousness have been lost, because everyone is just “throwing” words without thinking about the consequences. Incorrect pronunciation of words destroys the beauty of the language. The work encourages us to think about the consequences of such an attitude towards language. After reading the book I want to protect, preserve native language, excluding slang and jargon.
D.S. Likhachev “Letters about the good and the beautiful.” Reflecting on the richness of the Russian language and people’s attitude towards it, Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev says that language allows you to evaluate a person at the first meeting with him. Language makes it possible to learn about someone’s relationship to the world around them and to themselves. A smart, well-mannered, intelligent person will not unnecessarily speak too loudly, emotionally, or use inappropriate and ugly words. Learning beautiful, intelligent, competent speech is not easy. You need to learn to speak, because speech is the basis of human behavior, the thing by which you can judge him in the first place. These thoughts of Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev are very accurate. They are relevant now and will be just as true many years from now.
I.S. Turgenev "Russian language". The lines of this prose poem are known to everyone since school. It’s amazing how accurately the writer assessed the strength and power of the Russian language in just a few lines. For I.S. Turgenev’s native language is “support and support.” The entire poem, even if it is small, is filled with a sense of pride. The writer appreciates the Russian language.
V.G. Korolenko “Without a tongue.” The author claims that without language, each of us is “like a blind or small child.” People who cannot write and speak correctly and beautifully clog up speech, thereby causing irreparable damage to the language. Native speech should not only be appreciated, but also protected and tried to be preserved. The future of the Russian language depends only on the person.
Language is a mirror of the life of a people. What an important role he plays! It is impossible to do without it in any sphere of human activity: its enormous importance is obvious everywhere. Every nation has its own language, and the Russian language is one of the most wonderful, which will be confirmed by the words of many classics of our literature. However, under the influence of life, language changes along with it, and not always for the better.
In her text, Taisiya Vasilievna Zharova raises the problem of preserving the Russian language. Reflecting on it, she draws attention to the fact that “in a short period of time, words that previously related only to a certain environment were able to become Russified” and “divided in meaning.” The author also notes that our language is an interesting phenomenon for observation by linguists and writers, but it is replete with not only foreign words, but also criminal vocabulary, and the words that the classics used have “gone temporarily” and “are waiting for brighter days.”
It is impossible to disagree with this idea; its confirmation can be found in various articles about language or by analyzing the works of Russian classics.
Thus, recalling Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy’s epic novel “War and Peace,” most readers realize what pleasure the reading process itself gives, not to mention the interesting plot and heroes who have become loved. Reading the work, you understand how beautiful your native language is and how much you can use it to tell and describe, which is what Leo Tolstoy masterfully does. In Russian words, he describes the era of that time, and we see all its features and sides without illustrations, simply by reading the words. And how accurately the beauty and with it the depravity of Helen are conveyed with the help of our language! How beautiful we imagine the summer night in Otradnoye and the blooming oak tree that Andrei Bolkonsky encountered! The Russian language, in which the classics wrote and spoke, is great, it can convey everything, it is truly rich without unnecessary borrowings.
About the need to protect our great language Writers who are far from the classics also say in their articles. For example, the Soviet translator Nora Gal in the article “The Living and the Dead Word” or the Russian linguist Maxim Krongauz in the book “The Russian Language on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” Both authors are concerned about the fate of the Russian language, as every Russian should be concerned. Nora Gal says that in everyday life, official language and borrowings from other languages are often unjustifiably and immoderately used, and that our great language should sound dignified. Maxim Krongauz writes that language should change with life and it does, but some changes are only detrimental to it, and the language must be preserved and protected.
So, our language is great, and “there are no such sounds, colors, images and thoughts - complex and simple - for which there would not be an exact expression in our language,” as K. G. Paustovsky wrote. It is necessary to protect the Russian language, preserving its greatness for future generations.