Hearing

[wordchick.livejournal.com]

Originally, I thought the word слыхать was a little old-fashioned; I've only heard it used twice. However, it just occurred to me that maybe it is so rarely used because it has a very specific meaning. Am I right in thinking that it means "to hear" in the sense of knowing, or ever having heard of something?

Comments

[gera.livejournal.com]

Correct. You are also correct about it being old-fashioned (and kind of rural).

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

It is quite OK to use it as a kind of a set question: ты слыхал/вы слыхали? (note that the stress is on A) with the meaning "have you heard the news/rumors?". Outside of this narrow usage, it is really a bit outdated and (to an extent) even rustic.

[isca-lox.livejournal.com]

It's only used in the "have you heard about..." questions and even if used in such a question it sounds colloquial to me. I would still say "Вы слышали..." instead of "Вы слыхали..."

[el-cardenal.livejournal.com]

You're right, it's old-fashioned. but you can easily use it in informal speech as well as слышать.