Russian Word Roots: Volume 2 by Katsnelson, Julia;

Short description:

Russian Word Roots: Volume 2 provides a systemic approach to Russian vocabulary acquisition, focusing on the second most productive set of Russian word roots and their formation system to allow students to master both active and passive vocabulary more quickly.

Long description:

Russian Word Roots: Volume 2 provides a systemic approach to Russian vocabulary acquisition, focusing on the second most productive set of Russian word roots and their word formation system to allow students to master both active and passive vocabulary more quickly.

Each of the 15 alphabetically organized chapters focuses on a specific word root, including a list of vocabulary based on the root along with various exercises designed to review the acquired vocabulary to solidify students’ grasp of word formation. With this textbook, students will learn approximately 300 new words and improve their ability to deduce the meanings of new words through common roots. They will also gain a deeper understanding of the meanings of prefixes and suffixes, enhancing their ability to communicate more precisely. This second volume continues to not only strengthen the students’ Russian language but also sharpen linguistic skills in their native language by cultivating an awareness of semantic similarities across languages.

Russian Word Roots: Volume 2 is ideal for students with a Novice High to Intermediate Low and higher proficiency in Russian on the ACTFL scale and an existing understanding of basic grammar concepts, including verb conjugation, cases, and word formation patterns.

"Russian Word Roots is a comprehensive and thoughtfully organized guide, ideal for learners seeking to deepen their command of Russian vocabulary through root analysis. With its methodical exploration of word roots and engaging practical activities, this book provides an effective tool for mastering Russian vocabulary and grammar. Its scope and depth make it a much-needed resource in the field."

Evgeny Dengub, Professor (Teaching) of Russian, University of Southern California, USA

“Julia Katsnelson’s book is a significant and innovative contribution to the field of advanced Russian language study. The author develops a methodology centered on the careful study of the word root as the core element of the system. This approach not only facilitates the recognition of cognate words but also fosters a holistic understanding of language structure. The work is marked by academic rigor, methodological clarity, and undeniable practical value for further linguistic development.”

Sergei Kukarin, University of Hamburg, Germany

"Recognizing word-formation patterns is a powerful instrument in the acquisition of Russian as a foreign language. With proper training, students can build a large vocabulary based on a relatively few very productive word elements – roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Julia Katsnelson’s textbook provides students with a solid foundation for gaining an understanding of the topic and serves as a useful supplement in helping students master these key linguistic features of the language."

Dr. Julia Kobrina, Defense Language Institute, USA

“The book covers a full range of word-formation techniques, and shows how the rules can be applied, making it a valuable resource for students and teachers. The exercises within each chapter are particularly useful and the task at the end of every chapter is great for encouraging further expansion of students’ vocabulary. Russian Word Roots really shines with its thorough and detailed approach to word-formation in Russian. The research is solid, and the examples are drawn from a wide range of sources. This gives students a complete and well-rounded understanding of the topic. One of the best parts is how clear and accessible the book is. It teaches word-formation through easy-to-understand instructions and clear terminology.”

Evgeniia Drozdova, University College London, UK

“The word-formation system of the Russian language is the most important tool for the formation of new words and replenishment of the vocabulary of the Russian language. This becomes especially important when students study Russian as a foreign language. I would like to emphasize the content value of this textbook: the big quantitative composition of the analyzed word-formation models; very good methods of introduction and of consolidating the studied material; each root is presented in different meanings, phrases, and contexts; each form is provided with illustrative material showing grammatical, semantic features, and verb control; and training tasks for practicing grammatical skills and writing sentences are presented, which contributes to the mastery of this material.

The methodological value of this work is also difficult to overestimate, because at each stage of studying, the teacher develops students’ skills and abilities to recognize and use word-formation models during both active and passive speech production, and this book will help them to do that.”

Larisa Moskvitina, Davidson College and Middlebury College, Summer Russian School, USA 

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Russian Word-Formation System Overview

Глава 1. корень ВИД-

Глава 2. корень ВОД- 

Глава 3. корень ВРАЩ(Т)-

Глава 4. корень ДЕЛ-

Глава 5. корень ЕЗД(Ж)-

Глава 6. корень КЛЮЧ-    

Глава 7. корень MЫС(Ш)Л-    

Глава 8. корень ОБЩ -

Глава 9. корень ПРАВ(Л)-                                                                                                                                                       

Глава 10. корень ПУСК-

Глава 11. корень РО(Ж)Д-                      

Глава 12. корень СТАВ-                

Глава 13. корень УЧ(К)-

Глава 14. корень ХОД-

Глава 15. корень ЧИТ-                                                  

Appendix

Lists of the Roots

Prefixes

Suffixes