Syntagmatic Dimension Of The Russian Verb In The Context Of Teaching

Abstract

This paper analyzes the Russian verb in syntagmatic structures for language teaching. The idea is to center teaching around the verb system; what makes such efforts relevant is the current lack of a single concept and clearly defined criteria for isolating and describing uniform information blocks when teaching Russian, whether as first or second language. The goal hereof is to combine teaching experience and psycholinguistics for connecting the conceptual framework with the formal and grammatical aspects of the language and to find ways to describe and structure vocabulary and grammar with the verb-based phrases as a foundation. For the first time, the verb rather than the conversation topic serves as their foundation to build an utterance. The verb serves not only as the grammatical anchor but also as the starting point for phrase understanding and memorizing. Research herein is mainly analytical but uses distribution and contextual analysis. Testing the developed strategy, the authors hand-picked and structured study materials, defined minimum context, made verbs lists. Two textbooks by the authors hereof are built on the approach key principles to teaching vocabulary and grammar. The innovation is the auditory perception of phrases. Logical generalizations are intertwined with the introduction techniques that utilize mnemonics. This strategy can be used to write textbooks and study aids that focus on communication first. The paper describes an algorithm for material presenting; it shows a roadmap to a broader linguistic competence for speaking freely. The article introduces the method to tailor such teaching to individual students’ needs.

Keywords: Russian verb, grammatical systemization, mnemonic techniques, phrase generation, language teaching

Introduction

The authors’ idea of teaching a language is based on the known psycholinguistic principle that a thinking person is prone to stereotyping and understanding the systemic nature of language, even if these processes are subconscious at first. However, even the most advanced science of today has no clear enough idea of how linguistic awareness functions in human, how speech is produced, and how to teach that. Speech is an activity that is backed by the same mental and neurophysiological mechanisms regardless of the person’s first language (Baayen, 2014). However, the understanding of the cognitive foundations of language has advanced substantially in recent years (Trevisan, 2019). Since cognitive processes are inseparable from emotions, the learning process needs to be comfortable and efficient. It is also imperative to bear in mind the connection between a person’s “perception, cognition, and emotional judgment” (Zalevskaya, 2018).

What makes this particular research relevant is the need for a comprehensive, integrated approach to language that would utilize the interconnectedness of different language aspects and make reasonable use of cognitive processes. The idea to center teaching Russian around its verbs is not new; however, our review of research papers, textbooks, and study aids shows there is so far no uniform concept of how to teach the Russian verb. Linguists’ publications only cover some small groups of verbs (Ikramovna et al., 2020; Luraghi, 2020; Ovsjannikova, 2020). The popularity of Russian as a foreign language (Dengub et al., 2020; Markina, 2019) gives rise to numerous methodologies to be analyzed.

The authors hereof have reviewed the available teaching materials and made several general findings: (1) Learner’s dictionaries that focus on verbs constitute complementary rather than independent material for learners, as the alphabetical arrangement of verbs does not help learn them. (2) Practicing topic-based conversations does not enable the student to speak freely, as the phrases they learn will inevitably contain verbs that differ syntactically. (3) Beginner textbooks and study aids of Russian as a foreign language have a lot of “fill-in” exercises; however, alphabetically arranged glossaries are not productive unless verbs are given in a separate list. (4) Some study aids that focus specifically on verbs are designed to improve the learner’s language skills; the Cases chapter accentuates case morphology rather than verbs. (5) Advanced textbooks do touch upon communication skills, but this aspect is still underwhelming, as the material on verbal syntax is fragmentary (Anikina, 2018; Baranova et al., 2019; Bulgakova et al., 2019; Chernyshov & Chernyshova, 2020; Esmantova, 2019; Khavronina & Shirochenskaya, 2019; Kuzmina, 2018; Malyshev, 2015; Silvina, 2019).

The vocabulary and grammar learning system we presented earlier in more practice-oriented works centers around the verb and calls for a theoretical analysis as it provides a broad spectrum of opportunities to be used in various types of speech.

Problem Statement

Linguistic research into verb collocations has been long and fruitful. Language teaching accentuates verb-related syntax, as syntax is bound to communication norms, cognitive structure, and the denoted reality. A speech act must be based on understanding the speech situations that the learner finds themselves in. But how can we create such situations? What kind of basis can we offer students to help them effectively engage in communication? These questions are yet to be answered.

Research Questions

3.1. What is the most optimal way to structure vocabulary and grammar when the Russian verb is the centerpiece of language learning?

3.2. Which vocabulary/grammar teaching methods and which mnemonic techniques should be singled out?

3.3. How to bring together different aspects of language and different types of speech?

3.4. What are the roles of textbooks, teachers, and self-studies?

Purpose of the Study

This paper analyzes the Russian verb from the grammatical prespective as the centerpiece of a non-verbless sentence, the unit that the phrase builds upon. The goal was to pick and systematize the vocabulary and grammar material focused on the verb and to present an algorithm for learning such material with the phrase serving as the foundational unit.

Research Methods

The research herein is mainly analytical but also uses distribution and contextual analysis.

Findings

The paper analyzes Russian verbs from the grammatical perspective in the context of teaching. The authors hereof propose a systematic approach that has proven effective over the recent years of teaching, an approach that we believe to be a promising foundation for further developments related to language teaching. The paper therefore refers to exercises in beginner and advanced textbooks (Laskareva, 2018, 2019). For teaching purposes, we describe and organize grammar and vocabulary in such a way as to facilitate the understanding, processing, memorization, and reproduction of information.

Conclusion

It is important to teach students to understand phrases and produce their own; with this in mind, the structure and approach of this research were dictated by the idea of centering teaching Russian around its verbs. The review of papers and textbooks has shown there is still no uniform concept of what should be the unifying, the most significant aspect of language from the teaching standpoint. We believe that the verb should be such linchpin, as it enables students to start speaking sooner and better than communication-focused textbooks. In essence, what we believe to be the key is to minimize the explanation of grammar machinery in teaching. It is the understanding of phrases that provides a psycholinguistic foundation for implicit understanding of Russian grammar, which intensifies unconscious cognition. The authors hereof have described and structured lexical and grammatical material with a focus on verb phrases. The core ideas and examples presented herein are original and published for the first time.

The novelty hereof lies in the fact that minimal verb-based phrases are presented as the material to be learned rather than merely as examples. If recordings are not available, students can read phrases from the textbook aloud to provide listening experience; this makes the auditory perception more illustrative. Texts made under this approach show how the verb functions within a sentence; the authors also compiled lists of verbs and their arguments. Listening and pronunciation lay the foundations, upon which the student will master how to produce correct phrases quickly and painlessly. By modeling phrases with the help of grammar pertaining to the most frequent verbs, students can quickly learn to think on various topics in their target language, which in turn helps them start speaking freely sooner.

The authors’ experience shows that the mechanism behind phrase production is controllable: phrase modeling coupled with timekeeping is an effective approach. This paper is the first to show that vocabulary and grammar can indeed be delivered with an option for later expansion, i.e., in such a way that allows students to independently decide what level they already have and when to level up. Information presented in logical blocks is easy to memorize, which motivates students to continue learning. This strategy has been proven effective by the authors’ teaching practices; it is used in two of their textbooks and can be used in further language teaching research with a focus on individual, tailor-made teaching.

References

• Anikina, N. M. (2018). Lestnitsa: Uchebnik po russkomu yazyku dlya nachinayushchikh (For english-speaking students) [Stairs: a Russian textbook for beginners]. Russian Courses. [in Russ.].

• Baayen, R. (2014). Experimental and psycholinguistic approaches to study derivation. In R. Lieber, & P. Stekauer (Eds.), The oxford handbook of derivational morphology (pp. 95-117). Oxford University Press.

• Baranova, N. I., Melekh, N. T., & Rusakova, N. N. (2019). Russky glagol: Uchebnoye posobiye [Russian verb: a study guide]. Russky yazik. Kursy. [in Russ.].

• Bulgakova, L. N., Zakharenko, I. V., & Krasnykh, V. V. (2019). Moi druzya padezhi: Grammatika v dialogakh [Cases are my friends: Grammar in dialogs]. Russian Courses. [in Russ.].

• Chernyshov, S. I., & Chernyshova, A. V. (2020). Poyekhali! Russky yazyk dlya vzroslykh. Nachalny kurs: Uchebnik [Let’s go! Russian for adult beginners: a textbook]. Zlatoust. [in Russ.].

• Dengub, E., Dubinina, I., & Merrill, J. (2020). The art of teaching Russian. Georgetown University Press.

• Esmantova, T. L. (2019). Russky yazik: 5 elementov: Uroven B1 (Bazovy – pervy sertifitsirovanny) [5 elements of Russian: B1 (first certification level)]. Zlatoust. [in Russ.].

• Fasih, P. (2018). The effects of mnemonic vocabulary instruction on content vocabulary learning of students. Journal of language and education, 4(1), 42-62.

• Ikramovna, Y. S., Khamzayevna, B. L., Khasanovna, K.-Z. L., Zoidovna, S. D., & Djambulovna, S. G. (2020). Teaching the verbs of the Russian language in the system-functional aspect, taking into account errors made by non-native students. International journal of scientific and technology research, 9(3), 1864-1866.

• Jegerski, J., & Patten, B. Van. (Eds.). (2014). The psycholinguistics of SLA: Reserch methods in second language physiolinguistics. First published by Routledge.

• Khavronina, S. A., & Shirochenskaya, A. I. (2019). Russky yazyk v uprazhneniyakh: Uchebnoye posobiye (Dlya govoryashchikh na angliyskom yazyke) [Russian in exercises: a study guide for English speakers]. Russian Courses. [in Russ.].

• Kuzmina, N. V. (2018). 28 Russian Verbs. 28 russkikh glagolov. FLINTA. [in Russ.].

• Laskareva, E. R. (2019). Russky yazyk kak inostranny. Praktichesky intensivny kurs + CD: Uchebnik i praktikum dlya prikladnogo bakalavriata [Russian as a foreign language. A practical course (with CD): Textbook and exercises for applied BA studies]. Urait. [in Russ.]

• Laskareva, E. R. (2018). Chistaya grammatika [Pure grammar]. Zlatoust. [in Russ.]

• Luraghi, S. (2020). The u+gen construction in modern standard Russian. Cognitive linguistics, 31(1), 149-183.

• Malyshev, G. G. (2015). Glagol vsemu golova: Uchebny slovar [Verb above all: a learner’s dictionary]. Zlatoust. [in Russ.].

• Markina, Е. (2019). Comparing focus on forms and task-based language teaching in the acquisition of Russian as a foreign language. Universitat de Barcelona.

• Ovsjannikova, M. (2020). The instrumental case in the diachrony of Russian reflexive verbs of emotion: from cause to content. Scando-Slavica, 66(1), 118-143.

• Ożańska-Ponikwia, K. (2015). The role of mnemonics in the process of L1 and L2 language learning introduction. Zeszyty Naukowe Wyższej Szkoły Humanitas. Pedagogika, 10, 93-100.

• Silvina, L. V. (2019). Elektronny kurs dlya inostrannykh studentokv: Sbornik grammaticheskikh uprazhneniy [Electronic course for international students: a collection of grammar exercises]. SMIO Press. [in Russ.]

• Trevisan, P. (2019). Systemic functional grammar as a tool for experimental stimulus design: new appliable horizons in psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics. Language sciences, 75, 35-46.

• Zalevskaya, A. A. (2018). Voprosy yestestvennogo semiozisa [Problems of natural semiosis]. Tver State University. [in Russ.].