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Jeruba's avatar

What English-language literature do Russian students of English study in school?

Asked by Jeruba (55845points) 1 week ago

Following on from this question

https://www.fluther.com/238120/what-foreign-languages-are-offered-to-high-schoolers-in-russia/

What American literature is used in teaching English to non-native speakers, especially in Russia?

When I read Steinbeck’s Tortilla Flat a few years back, I was very surprised to read in the intro that it is used in English classes somewhere abroad, maybe Russia. It seemed such an odd choice for the purpose.

So now I’m curious about the literature that English learners are reading these days, in Russia and elsewhere, and what sort of America it depicts.

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7 Answers

zenvelo's avatar

I would expect a lot of Hemingway. Stories with nuance made of simple words.

JLeslie's avatar

I found this list of English language books for EF students.
https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/books-learn-english-make-you-love-reading/

EF organizes exchange students; they do a large number of student placement where I live, I had a teenager stay with me one summer. We don’t get Russian students here, we get Chinese, Spanish, and French.

When I googled (not an easy search by the way) I found a website with a list of books Russian children are often assigned in school, but it does not answer your question specifically. Here’s the list. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/45006.Russian_school_curriculum_literature

This video of how Russian curriculum is changing in the last two years was interesting. https://youtu.be/QeAlklcXPdY?si=jLXMHJu1L_zeKf0y Possibly you could ask this youtuber your Q.

Ragingloli might know about what had been taught in English class in the past by Russians, because I think raging grew up in East Germany. I don’t think we have Russian jellies here. I could ask my Russian friend, but I feel awkward doing it since I haven’t been in touch with her for a while.

elbanditoroso's avatar

Just a guess- Orwell’s 1984 is not on the reading list.

JLeslie's avatar

I wanted to clarify the EF program here is specifically geared for the kids to learn English

Jeruba's avatar

Thanks, JL, good info. It’s just a curiosity Q, so don’t make yourself feel awkward.

Ivanhoe, though! I read it in 9th grade and reread it a few years ago. I don’t know why it was (is?) perpetrated on American students, never mind Russian. I’m an Anglophile and an English major, a mature reader of British literature from Shakespeare to P.G. Wodehouse, comfortable reading George Eliot and other literature of two centuries ago; but man, the assumed knowledge of medieval British history—and politics—was nearly paralyzing. What American or Russian reader has the context for that?

flutherother's avatar

Robert Burns is very popular in Russia but he is known almost exclusively through ideologically modified translations and the original English (or Scottish) text is difficult to find. Though Burns’s poetry is firmly rooted in Scotland you would never know it from the translations which for example substitute “homeland” for “Scotland” and omit almost all references to Scottish places.

I know this doesn’t answer your question but this article shows the difficulties Russian students of English must face when trying to study English literature.

Jeruba's avatar

Very interesting, @flutherother. Thank you. If I’d known there was a relevant Q to be asked about Rabbie Burns, I’d have asked it, so this is a bonus.

I wonder if other passionate lovers of homeland have had the same Russian treatment.

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