Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
HSE researchers identified more than 4,000 examples of oral Russian speech by bilinguals from seven regions of Russia and found that most non-standard forms in constructions with numerals are associated not only with their native language, but also with how often the expression occurs in everyday speech. For example, the phrases “two hours” or “five kilometers” almost always match the literary version, but less familiar expressions, especially with numerals from two to four, as well as with collective forms like “two” or “three,” often sound different. Study published in the International Journal of Bilingualism.
Russian numerals confuse not only foreigners, but also native speakers. Difficulties also arise for bilinguals – people who speak two or more languages fluently. Some research show that the grammar of the first language, such as Nanai or Ulchi, influences the subsequent acquisition of Russian. However, scientists believe that the influence of the native language is only one of the factors.
Researchers from International Language Convergence Laboratory HSE University analyzed how bilinguals from different regions of Russia use numerals in oral speech in Russian. To do this, they processed seven collections of interviews recorded in Dagestan, Bashkiria, Chuvashia, Mari El, Karelia and other regions. The sample included stories of more than 180 people speaking 21 languages. Each collection contained recordings of live conversations in which participants answered researchers’ questions and shared stories about themselves, their families, and life in the village. From more than 7,000 phrases with numerals, the researchers selected about 4,000 suitable for analysis, excluding constructions with ordinal numerals and indirect cases.
The results showed that it is not only the native language that influences the frequency of errors. Other factors are also important: level of education, age, but above all, how often the expression occurs in speech. The more familiar the phrase, for example, “two hours” or “five kilometers,” the less likely it is to encounter a non-standard form. This confirms the hypothesis that language structures are learned not through rules, but through regular use.
“It cannot be said that when bilinguals use Russian, they simply project the grammar of their native language onto it. Even if a native speaker grew up in an environment where numerals work differently than in Russian, this does not mean that in their Russian speech they will systematically copy the structures of their native language,” explains one of the authors of the article, a research fellow at the International Laboratory of Language Convergence, associate professor Faculty of Humanities HSE University Chiara Naccarato.
Numerals from two to four, as well as collective forms like “two” and “three,” turned out to be especially difficult for survey participants—they were noticeably more often used in non-standard form.
The data obtained is important not only for linguists, but also for teachers: it allows us to understand which areas of grammar require more attention. In the future, the authors plan to study other areas in which the native language can (or cannot) influence the acquisition of Russian.
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