Language "categories" (was: undergraduate >Honors in Russian)

[Deborah Hoffman]

Perhaps this could be posted to the list as well?  I
am also curious as to whether this categorization
was developed specifically for native English
speakers, since it has long been my working assumption
that there are no "inherently more difficult"
languages.  Still, I have noticed that even those with
extensive Russian training (myself included) really
have to strive for academic-level writing in Russian,
much more so than our French or Spanish-speaking
counterparts do.

Personally, I would have loved the opportunity to
write an undergraduate honors thesis in Russian, but
I suspect I would have been the only one (or one of
two) in my graduating class to be so thrilled, and
probably would have required either more intensive
language training than was available in my program, or
an extra year (if not two) on my own acquiring that
facility.

Deborah Hoffman

---------------------------------------------
Deborah Hoffman
Graduate Assistant
Kent State University
Modern and Classical Language Studies

 >Date:    Mon, 28 Feb 2005 16:16:45 -0500
 >From:    David Powelstock <pstock at BRANDEIS.EDU>
 >Subject: Language "categories" (was: undergraduate
 >Honors in Russian)
 >
 >Might someone be so kind as to direct me to a web
 >resource that
 >describes
 >the "category" system, according to which Russian
 is
 a >"category 3"
 >language?  (Sounds like the hurricane system,
 except
 >here it measures
 >mental, rather than physical destruction.)
 >Cheers,
 >
 >David Powelstock


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------