• Message from Mariko Ohsato

  Struggling with the Cyrillic Alphabet: Learning Russian before Going to Sochi

  Cross-country skier Yuichi Onda and freestyle skiing slopestyle skier Yu Yoneya are currently competing in various world cups. After deciding that I too had to go to Sochi, the first thing I did was to buy a Russian textbook! (Very translation company President-like, isn't it?! [laughs])

  For practical purposes, learning about 10 useful words a day may be considered the easiest and most efficient approach, I tend to be obsessed with grammar and phonology. I have wanted to learn the language's alphabet and pronunciation ever since I was given a picture book written in Russian two years ago, and I would at least like to be able to read (and pronounce) it properly.

  Anyway, I have been struggling with the Cyrillic script for about three days now. Apparently, Russian is said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn for a Japanese person. Indeed, I might have been able to progress easily had it only been about memorizing the alphabet and pronunciation, but the declension system is so complex!

  During these last three days, I discovered the true charm of learning Russian: "Seeing the change in the use of characters that emerged through the long history and the distance they traveled."

  There also is a Russian alphabet (Cyrillic characters) which makes a similar use of Latin letters such as A, K, M and O. The Russian B stands for V in English, while C represents the Latin alphabet’s S. Despite the difference in writing, they actually sound the same to a Japanese ear.

  But on the other hand, some letters can be confusing for people who are only somewhat proficient in English. For instance, the Russian P is the equivalent of the English R, while H serves as an N in English.

  So, спасибо and хорошо are the respective Cyrillic transcriptions of "Spasibo" (thank you) and "Harasho" (wonderful) and I felt overwhelmed when I became able to read them in their original language.

  I find the connection created by words to be very inspirational. And being able to meet people on so such scenes is one of the privileges of working in the translation and interpretation business.

  Arc Communications provides its services in no less than 44 different languages.
  Click here to find out more about them.

  P.S.: I am currently looking for people to accompany me to the crucial games.
  The benefits of accompanying me are as follows: being with someone who can translate the Cyrillic alphabet (and nothing more) (laughs).

  Mariko Ohsato
  President & CEO
  Arc Communications Inc.

• Message from Mariko Ohsato

  Back Numbers

  • Struggling with the Cyrillic Alphabet: Learning Russian before Going to the Sochi Olympics
  • Training Teaches the “How”; Education Teaches the “Why” (Summer Greeting 2013)
  • Arc Communications Year in Review: Top 5 “Globalization” News (Winter Greeting 2012)
  • Friendly Competition with New Comrades (Summer Greeting 2012)
  • Top 10 News Items for 2011 -- Official and Unofficial Versions (Winter Greeting 2011)
  • Communicate Locally, Market Globally (Summer Greeting 2011)
  • What Kind of A Country Is Kazakhstan? (Spring Greeting 2011)
  • Message from the President (Winter Greeting 2010)

© 2013 Arc Communications Inc. All rights reserved.