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revmira · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 6

everywhere I go --people seem to think I am from pribaltica- does anyone know what it is about an American speaking Russian that sounds pribaltic?
and ways to reduce this accent?
i'm afraid people are extra rude to me because they dislike pribalticans- or maybe they are just born with a tail

canucktechie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 343 Location: Moscow

Russians are always complaining about the situation of the Russian population in the Baltics, but in fact 90% of them would move there if they had the chance.

Don't know what a "pribaltic" accent would be, Latvian/Lithuanian are similar but Estonian is a completely different language.

GF · Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Posts: 238 Location: Tallinn

demoiselle · Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

I know that Estonians (even Russian speakers from Estonia) have a reputation for speaking very very slowly.

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

Good question. I have experienced the same thing.

The_Northerner · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject:

Why are the Baltics called pribaltica?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

In Russian, the Baltic refers to the sea. 'Pri' is a prefix meaning 'by', 'at'. Thus, 'by the Baltic' (Baltickian?).

Zorba · Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 19

Baltic Russians don't have an accent. Linguists generally recognise that Russian is surprisingly uniform. Some areas do have accents, like the Ukraine, but most Russians went to the Baltic 20 - 50years ago, not really long enough for them to get a specific accent.

Native speakers of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian often do have very strong accents. If you are travelling through Russia, people might assume that you are from one of these countries because you have 'funny accented Russian' and they don't meet many foreigners from the West. Most people with 'funny accented Russian' are from the Baltics (those from the Caucasus and Asian Republics can be identified by their complexion, so they can't confuse you with those.)

It's also possible that they make this assumption simply because of your appearance, the way you dress, your general demeanour etc. You probably look too 'Western' to be Russian, like many Balts do (they dress and carry themselves in a different way to Russians), so they might assume because of that you're from the Baltics.

A friend and I were once travelling by train from Sochi to Moscow. We got into the train compartment and discovered that we were sharing with a middle-aged couple from Moscow. When we had got to know each other a little, I asked them if they had realised, on first sight, whether we weren't Russians. "Not quite," the lady said, "But you looked a little bit different... I guessed maybe your friend was Jewish and you were maybe.... I don't know... Latvian."

We are both British. My friend isn't Jewish, though others have asked him that before. On the other hand, I have dark curly hair and a broad face, not typical Latvian features at all!

jonniboy · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:21 am Post subject:

Zorba · Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 19

Well it's true, to my eyes Westerners and Rigans (for example) dress quite differently. But in Russia, people dress differently again. They can recognise someone from the Baltics (or at least believe they can) from looking at them. I think you can see the difference especially with men: nearly all young Russian men shun bright colours, preferring the shaved head / leather jacket / blue jeans / boots look. In Riga, as you know, you see quite a variety of fashions among young men: hair dyed blonde, pink T-shirts, low cut jeans, shoulder-length hair and so on.