Photo: medaboutme.ru
The motive for learning Russian today is not only love for Russian literature, but also economic reasons. The reason to learn Russian is the cooperation of foreign business with Russia, the opening of Russian restaurants and schools and other institutions. This was stated by Ekaterina Protasova, an associate professor at the University of Helsinki, who gave lectures at the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, the website of the Moscow House of Compatriots reports.
Protasova called the language a commodity that is consumed or not consumed outside the country where it is spoken. According to the doctor of pedagogical sciences, there is a great demand for the Russian language. The development of international cooperation in various fields creates new motives for the study of the Russian language, but the former ones also remain. According to Protasova, Russian history, culture, literature, music and ballet gave rise to an enduring interest in the Russian language.
Protasova noted the significant role of the Russian-speaking diaspora in popularizing the Russian language in different countries of the world. Moreover, an active position in this activity is taken not only by compatriots who moved in Soviet times or in recent years, but also by “old Russians” - children of the 20th century emigrants. The teacher called the Russian-speaking diaspora abroad, which has about forty million people, “a huge transnational and transcultural community” with great potential.
Protasova also stressed the importance of Russian schools, the number of which was growing throughout the world. This suggests that compatriots continue to recognize themselves as Russians and want their children to speak Russian.
Russkiy Mir
