September 18, 2021

Calling Everyone Whose Russian Pronunciation Stinks


Calling Everyone Whose Russian Pronunciation Stinks
"Kira" on Zoom. Welcome to her home! Amanda Shirnina

A "national experiment" is afoot to fix Americans' often terrible Russian pronunciation.

"Kira," the Russian pronunciation expert who did an interview for the Russian Life blog back in March, has declared September 19–23 Russian Pronunciation Week. All students and teachers of any level of Russian are invited to join for free on Zoom for five nights in a row. The sessions will only be 15 minutes long.

Learn what a default mouth position is and why you need to switch yours to speak a foreign language properly. Discover how our "sound-identities" affect how we move through the world in a foreign language. Practice the most challenging Russian sounds for most Americans to produce.

"Kira," whose real name is Kimberly DiMattia, stresses that seeing how the mouth is supposed to move in Russian is especially important in our era of masking up to go to class.

Register here for meetings from 8:30–8:45 pm Eastern U.S. Time during the week of September 19–23, 2021. If you are unavailable at 8:30 pm, the sessions will be recorded and available to everyone who registers.

You Might Also Like

Dealing with Stress
  • March 01, 2021

Dealing with Stress

How a little bit of stress in the wrong place and turn writing into urination.
Russian Grammar Wars
  • May 20, 2019

Russian Grammar Wars

Tough time learning Russian? It’s not just you. Russians themselves frequently struggle to determine what is “correct.” 
The Hunt for Movie Russian
  • September 14, 2020

The Hunt for Movie Russian

"Kakov nipudt pakaru!" The classic 1990 movie Hunt for Red October had a $30 million budget. Apparently none of that went towards Russian language coaches.
Change Your Default Mouth Position
  • March 28, 2021

Change Your Default Mouth Position

Dr. Kimberly DiMattia, known to her Russian students as Kira, has a range of offerings for anyone who wants to "move the needle" on their pronunciation.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955