more about opera: smotret' or slushat'?

[Six, Irina Anatolyevna]

Native Russian is supposed to  say "slushat operu" even of they actully
see it.

Irina Six


-----Original Message-----
From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Inna Caron
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 9:34 AM
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: [SEELANGS] more about opera: smotret' or slushat'?


Here's another controversial item, also likely to be written off as an
archaism.

When I was a little girl, my parents always corrected me when I said "my
smotreli operu," - "Operu ne smotryat, a slushayut." Now it would be as
difficult for me to use "smotret'" (regardless of how pompous and
pretentious it may sound to other native speakers), as to accept the
legitimization of neuter for coffee, and not mentally wince when someone
says "moe/chernoe kofe."

So, I'm wondering - and this is not the matter of conducting a research
- just plain curiosity:

1) Do other native Russian speakers use "smotret' operu," or "slushat'
operu," when referring to live (not recorded) performance?

2) Do native speakers of English say "to see" or "to hear" in the same
context?

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