RUSSIAN

Russian is the world’s seventh major language based on the number of speakers. It is spoken as the first (native) language by over 140 million people in 34 countries of the world and by about 280 million as the second language (www.ethnologue.com).

Russian is an important part of Canadian and Saskatchewan heritage. Originally, Russian was brought into Canada by the Doukhobors in 1899 (see the webpage of the Department of Languages and Linguistics for our Doukhobor language and culture study project). Currently, In Saskatchewan, over 27,000 residents claim Russian ethnic origins. Russian is the 15th language in number of speakers in Saskatchewan, and the mother tongue of 1,465 adult residents (Census 2006).

It is an exciting language to learn, and it opens doors to Russian culture famous around the world for its vibrant culture that includes folk dancing, ballet, music, literature, and architecture. With the increase in economical connections between Canada and Russia, it becomes a lucrative language to learn for those interested in business. A current rise in the Russian-speaking population in North America makes the study of Russian attractive for any professional career.

Russian language studies can be used towards satisfying the Language Requirement. They can also be used towards the following majors:

• Linguistics,
• Modern Languages

Start with Russian 114.3.

Introductory Russian courses (114.3 and 117.3) are currently offered by St. Thomas More College.

Please consult course offerings for the list of courses offered each year.

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