klass

[Kildsig]

The terms like "shkola", "klas", "pervoklasniki", "abiturienti",
"kontrolnayja", "domashniaya rabota", etc. (standing respectively for
"university", "group", "first-year students", "last-year students",
"test/examination", "semester paper"/"presentation", etc.) were also being
translated and used in some other former Soviet territories, e.g. the Baltic
republics. The meaning of this slang was shaded and depended on particular
situations - it could have expressed students' dissatisfaction with the
academic institution, yet it could also stand for the love students' had
for that institution, but it was clearly perceived as a slang. Depending on
an actual lecturer/administrator and/or circumstances of a specific
encounter (= a degree of mutual trust and familiarity between the two sides
involved), students would or would not employ these expressions in a
conversation with him/her. This slang was fashionable at one time and very
passi at other; the degree of its popularity could differ very strongly from
one academic institution to another within the same town - even from one
department to another within the same institution.

However, it does not necessarily mean that Russian emmigrants (or N.
American immigrants from Russia?) brought this slang with them. Actually,
it's quite the opposite - more than one European would see such expressions
(presumably said in English) as something rather American. E.g., if an
American asks an European "Where did you go to school?", it is not that
strange if the European replies "I STUDIED at the UNIVERSITY of Y - or do
you mean my high-school?"; or "How many CLASSES have you got this
morning?" - "I am attending X LECTURES this morning", aso. If a visiting
teacher from Russia uses this slang (which English does that teacher
speaks - British or American), could it not be a sign of Americanisation
instead of direct continuation from the Soviet times (although it's probably
a mixture of both)?

This is a very interesting topic - hopefully, the Seelangers will continue
discussing it.

N. R. Kildsig