(no subject)

[gatoradegirl.livejournal.com]

I wish I had found the community a few months ago, I might be getting a better grade this semester!

Two questions, sorry if the first one has been covered ad-nauseum.

Is there a way to learn to type more quickly with the cyrilic keyboard, like a teaching program? I learned to type in english using "mavis beacon teaches typing" and can't seem to find a russian equivalent.

I live in a tourist area that attracts a large number of russian, ukrainian, and other eastern european summer guest workers. As I am in need of conversational skills, and won't have much to do this summer I would like to practice my Russian, and would be happy to help someone with english. How should I approach someone? Should I post a flyer in a few break-rooms, just walk up and ask? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

Comments

[jenkina.livejournal.com]

Where do you live? I live in Chicago and might be able to help you if you are nearby :)

[nadyezhda.livejournal.com]

I see you're in VA- ever pop up to DC? I'd be happy to meet with you.

[ars-longa.livejournal.com]

Where do you live in Chicago? :) Not that I need help in Russian... :)

[elmyr.livejournal.com]

well, yeah, there are lots of such programs - one is called "Alenka", I have it somewhere on my computer, but the whole interface is in Russian, so you'll have to work on it a bit)

and about practicing verbal skills: I work in a hotel as an administrator and judging by my clients, almost everybody who travels likes to talk to te locals. and Russians are famous for their willingness to chat (that's not just me you know!) ). so simply show your interest and I'm sure you won't regret it)
wish you luck!

[elmyr.livejournal.com]

oops, "Alenka" is for quick-typing, will that do?

[jenkina.livejournal.com]

NW Suburbs, actually :)

[ars-longa.livejournal.com]

(makes a face) Pretty far from me. I'm at East Rogers Park.

[samtaburetkin.livejournal.com]

I learned typing in Russian with "Соло на печатной машинке" by Владимир Шахиджанян. Try searching for this name for the online version. You are also likely to come across a fairly funny sex education book by the same guy called "1001 вопрос про Это" (the typing book is also quite humorous, BTW).

If you are familiar with modern Russian literature, the title sort of parallels the journals of Сергей Довлатов, a Russian immigrant to the US, called "Соло на ундервуде" (which you would recognize a brand name of a typewriter in :)). Find it, it used to be a bestseller in the 90s when Dovlatov's writings came back to Russia. Sometimes they are a bit sad, but they are written in examplary Russian. I heard that he was designing his phrases in such a way that there would be no two words in the same sentence that would have the same first letter... or something of this kind.

[gatoradegirl.livejournal.com]

I don't get up to the DC area that often, I'm in Williamsburg (between Norfolk and Richmond) and for the last two years I've noticed a huge influx of Russian speakers in late May, and they all leave in late July. I guess I just need to be outgoing! :)

I'll check out those typing programs, any chance they're Mac compatable?

Thanks for the suggestions!

[soidisantfille.livejournal.com]

I use a phonetic Russian keyboard on my computer, and I've found that I can type pretty quickly on it, though not as quickly as I can in English, of course. I can't remember where I downloaded it from, but you can google it.

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

There's this site that teaches Russian touch typing using the йцукенг setup. It's not a special program in particular, it's free, and you can have the interface teaching in Russian or English and learn touch typing for either Russian or English keyboard. The English translation is obviously written by a foreigner though, but it's cute :P

http://www.alfatyping.com/index_en.php