Docent of Omsk State Pedagogical University Tamara Skok is taking part in the Russkiy Mir Assembly this year for the first time. Tamara is the manager of a unique project called Modern Russian. The aim of the project is to improve the literacy of residents of Omsk. For this purpose a literary telephone service has been organized – a sort of literary first aid. Banners have also been put up throughout the city calling for citizens to speak proper Russian and televisions in municipal transport show instructional reels on language use. And special reference books have been published for businessmen outlining some of the most common errors in business-speak. Thanks to this project Tamara Skok was one of the winners of the Derzhava prize organized by the Russkiy Mir Foundation.
– So how is your project developing?
– Very well. It has become quite popular. We recently printed a pocket dictionary devoted to names and surnames. There are plans to reprint our pocket-sized reference books – there are three of them, as they have proven to be in high demand. We are also preparing another dictionary that is will be dedicated to one of the most common mistakes – the incorrect declension of numerals.
– You are supported by the municipal administration?
– In one area – the placement of municipal advertisements.
– In your opinion, what are the prospects for the Modern Russian project?
– Our project is unique. As Russkiy Mir Foundation Executive Director Vyacheslav Nikonov said once, there are no others like it in the world. We have great prospects. In terms of social scope, it is practically unlimited: from little children who have just learned to use the phone to elderly people who find everything interesting. They notice all sorts of mistakes and inform us about typos. Or they are looking for some line from Goethe. A veterans choir couldn’t figure out a line is a song so they turned to us. Since elderly people as a rule do not have Internet skills, we help them find what’s needed. But the broadest audience is from 23 to 55 years of age – these are business people.
– Why do they need this?
– They want to speak and write properly. This is a necessity for them. We often hear from them: “Thanks for being here.”
Boris Serov
