The Word's Worth

The Word's Worth episodes

June 05, 2020 Flying Objects and Other Horrors of Russian
Russian paronyms - летучий, летящий, летательный, летающий and лётный - are horrible.
10 min
May 29, 2020 When a Russian Bum is Not a Bum
Answering a question in my mailbag sent me down the rabbit hole of Russian abbreviations - great fun!
10 min
May 22, 2020 The Russian Dos of Don'ts
When the command нельзя means don't, and when it means something else entirely.
10 min
May 08, 2020 Shall We Zoom? I Zoom, Do You?
A very silly update on the language of our new normal in Russia.
10 min
May 01, 2020 Russian Patience is a Virtue
We start today with a pop quiz about a curious word. Tune in.
10 min
April 24, 2020 Say, Where's That Quote From?
You can take the Bible out of society, but you can't take it out of the Russian language.
9 min
April 18, 2020 Easter and Eggs, Naughty and Nice
All you need to know about celebrating Easter and how to talk - and not talk - about eggs.
14 min
April 10, 2020 Black Swans and Russian Bird Lore
A column in which I explain the difference between ворон and ворона once and for all. I think.
12 min
April 04, 2020 Cabin Fever in Russia? Never!
Feeling a bit down? Cooped up inside getting to you? Here's how to say it in Russian.
9 min
March 27, 2020 A Guide to Russian Stance Verbs
In Russian dresses sit, money lies, plates stand and shelves hang. Какой кошмар.
25 min

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Get to know Russia from the inside out, with podcasts on Russian language, culture and the latest news.