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Articles by Michele A. Berdy

news

‘The Dots Were All There. We Just Couldn’t Connect Them.’

One of the last American journalists in Moscow recounts how she — and her dog — escaped Russia as Putin’s new iron curtain fell.
winter festival

Sochi Winter Arts Festival Kicks Off with Mozart, Shō and a Nyckelharpa

The gala concert that opened the international festival was a mix of traditional and untraditional.
curtain raiser

'Don't Leave Your Planet' Launches Sochi Winter Arts Festival

The fantasy based on "The Little Prince" was performed by one man in 25 roles - some at the same time.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Russian Sleeping Beauty

When the Russian media goes a bit wild after a presidential press conference, I begin investigating.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Looming But Not Inevitable (Translation) Disaster

Talking about future possibilities and inevitabilities in Russian is a mouthful.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Getting a Bright Idea in Russian

Welcome to another chapter of "Weird Russian Words." This one will inspire you!
opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Russian Fig is Not a Fig

A short, expression-filled column about a little word that packs a big punch.
hit exhibition

In Moscow Xenia Hausner Tells 'True Lies'

Visitors to the show found something familiar in the story-telling, but not the stories told.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

How Don't I Care? Let Me Count The Ways

It turns out you can say you don't care in dozens of ways in Russian - some even in polite company.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Words of the Year 2021

The Words of the Year and Decade are not cheerful in 2021. Такой год - такие слова...
long read

Nadia Ragozhina Brings Together Her Family in 'Worlds Apart'

The captivating story of a Jewish family divided and then united by the events of 20th century Europe.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

How to Add On, Try On, Pretend and Drive Everyone Crazy in Russian

There is a newish filler word going around that driving the older generation crazy.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

I Love Moscow in the Winter

Some of the less-than-magical qualities of winter in Moscow.
art for the ages

The First Anatoly Zverev Art Prizes Awarded in Moscow

Moscow's AZ Museum honored artist Anatoly Zverev with shows, prizes, and celebrations.
art for the masses

Moscow's GES-2 House of Culture Opens a New Era in Art

The mission of the new House of Culture is to liquidate today's "cultural illiteracy."
opinion Michele A. Berdy

When Pigs Fly in Russian

How to say "yes" that really means "no" in Russian. No way. Forget it. In your dreams, man.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Let's Talk Turkey

Would you rather be called a turkey in Russian or English? Not an easy decision...
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Short History of a Nasty Word

Everyone hates a жлоб. But what is he? And where did he come from?
opinion Michele A. Berdy

When a Russian Stretch is Not an English Stretch

Oh, the pitfalls of borrowed words! Just because they sound alike doesn't mean that they are alike.
Long read

Victoria Lomasko is 'The Last Soviet Artist'

A short film about change, society, families, violence, love and the work of artist Victoria Lomasko.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Three Holidays and a Fall Primer

A walk down memory lane on this holiday Friday.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Russian Approach to Coming Closer

This week I look at two pairs of verbs of motion and get a bit overexcited.
must read

Archie Brown Is Awarded the Pushkin House Book Prize

"The Human Factor: Gorbachev, Reagan and Thatcher and the End of the Cold War" receives the prestigious prize.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

This is How We Roll in Russian

What stocking up, throwing a fit, and rolling up your sleeves have in common.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Who Is To Blame For Everything in Russian?

Apologizing seems easy in Russian, but there are some tricky bits.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Neither Russian Fish nor Russian Fowl

When do you use ни and when do you use не? I made up some (silly sounding) rules to help you out.
long read

Andrei Zorin's Biography 'Leo Tolstoy' is Essential Reading

"Leo Tolstoy" is one of six books nominated for the Pushkin House Book Prize.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Two Minuses Make a Plus in Russian

Today I focus on one of my favorite things about Russian - the double negative.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Drunk as a Skunk in Russia? Never!

Why you really must learn a new vocabulary of similes in Russian.
urals mystery

What Happened on Dyatlov Pass? 'Dead Mountain' Reveals All

This award-winning feature series is being released with English subtitles this week.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

In Russian, Too Much is Better Than Too Little

Here are some serious and hilarious ways to take care and be on the very safe side in Russian.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

When Your Heart Speaks in Russian

What's up with verbs like подсказать, подбросить, подслушать and подскочить?
everyone's a critic

Muscovites Square Off Over City's New Shapeless Statue

Urs Fischer's massive sculpture will welcome a center of contemporary art in an old power plant.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Road to Recovery in Russian

As Covid rages on but treatment improves, it's time to hone our vocabulary of getting better.
faces from the past

Discover the Art of Portraiture at Moscow's AZ Museum

Masks, icons, faces, mugs - all ways that artists have portrayed their fellow humans.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Stuck-Up, High Maintenance and Oh So Demanding

I'm stuck on being stuck-up. So many ways to be very annoying.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Of Snobs, Show-Offs, and Arrogant Jerks

Curiosity about the origins of the word "snob" sent me down a rabbit hole - or make that rat hole.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Hazard a Guess on the Meaning of Азарт

What do you do with untranslatable words? Well, you translate them as best you can.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Good and Bad Manners the Frenchified and Russian Way

Is моветон having a moment? Why yes, it is. It's on everyone's lips. So what the heck is it?
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Getting Married and/or Rejected in Russian

Marriage can be confusing, but wait until you hear about Russian marital confusion!
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Clean Up Your Act the Russian Way

How to wash that bum right out of your hair and other tricks of the Russian launderer's trade.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

How to Survive a Russian Heat Wave

Don't drink hot coffee. Don't work (brain fog). Wear nighties to the store. And moan about the heat.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

How to Interpret a President

Everyone's an interpreter! Or at least, everyone loves to criticize interpreters...
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Many Faces of Живопырка

A magical word that seems to acquire new meanings wherever it goes.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

On, Near, About and Round About in Russian

Another in my series of Mastering Russian Prepositions, this one is all about being near.
Long read

Photographer Victoria Ivleva Exhibits Her African Diaries

From the inside of a Chernobyl reactor to wars in Africa, Ivleva is there with her camera and a hand.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Maybe I May Be But Probably I'm Not

Maybe seems like such an easy concept. Может быть I'm wrong? Or is that быть может?
opinion Michele A. Berdy

No Way, No How, No Matter What

What do courts and approaches and truth have to do with no one, nothing and no?
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Nos Have It in Russian

How many ways can you say "no" in Russian? You have no idea...
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russian Bravery and Bravado

What's the difference between true courage and reckless swagger? Lots! Read on.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Cleaning House the Russian Way

All you need are four verbs to satisfy all your cleaning, washing, polishing and murderous needs.
long read

'Memories of Moscow' Brings the Late Soviet Era to Life

Lipman's memoir of the Soviet Union in the 1980s is an invaluable and fascinating resource.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

My Sweet Little Buggie-Wuggie

When you see someone small and cute, start piling on the sibilants.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Monster Under the Bed

How to talk about human monsters in Russian - or how to avoid hearing about them.
long awaited home

Mandelshtam Street Opens at the Moscow Literature Museum

The speakers joked, darkly, that this was the best apartment the Mandelshtams had ever had.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Singin' in the Rain the Russian Way

Prepositions. I know, I know. They're miserable. I try to make them a little bit more palatable.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Procrastinating the Russian Way

Russians have so many delightful ways to dawdle, dilly-dally and delay, you may never work again.
long read

Olga Grushin's 'The Charmed Wife' Breaks Literary Conventions

Do you wish you had a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand? Think again.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Watch What You Call That Old Woman

Why are there are more names in Russian for nasty old women than for nasty old men?
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Of Men, Galoshes and Horseradish

There are lots of Russian words, nice and not, to describe the older gentlemen in our lives.
long read

Sergei Lebedev Spins a Dark Thriller in 'Untraceable'

Lebedev's novel is both a gripping thriller and an unflinching examination of Russia's past.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

All That Glitters is Russian Gold

Lots of things glitter and glimmer with sparkles of gold and silver in Russian. For example - air.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Language of UnFreedom from the Gulag

An exhibition at the Gulag History Museum and a new dictionary reveal the other reality of the USSR.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Two Hundred More Ways to Get Russian Wrong

Lock or castle, cotton or clapping - it's all a matter of where the stress falls. Russian is very stressful.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Insurrection and Sedition in Russian Translation

Rebellions can be good or bad. Depends on who's rebelling and who or what they are rebelling against.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

How to Protest, From A to Zip Tie Cuffs

The weather might be cool, but people are hot to protest. Here's how to talk about it.
2021 look ahead

Moscow Arts Scene in 2021: A Spectacular Year Ahead

Cultural life came to a standstill last year, but this year arts lovers may get a double dose of culture.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Moscow 2020

A special column for a special day.
long read

'Of Politics and Pandemics: Songs of a Russian Immigrant'

A poetic reflection that is comical, lyrical, satirical and heart-breaking.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

2020 Words of the Year

This is the Year That Was in words and phrases.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

All in a Day's Work in Russian

Which Russian verb do you use to work badly? How do you ride into heaven? It's all in a day's work.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Borshch Battles

Borshch - is it Russian, Ukrainian, or Polish? Will language tell us? I dive back in time to find out.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Confusing Coffee and Bountiful Behinds in Russian

Would you want to be урод? In 1254 you would have been happy to be урод. Now - not so much.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Getting the Electoral College Right in Russian

You know how you sometimes wish your language had a foreign word in it? I want выборщик.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

What the Pundits Say: Following the U.S. Elections in Russian Media

Coverage is a strange mix of hard facts, informed commentary and biased reporting.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

It's Time to Take a Stand in Russian

What do стоить and стоять have in common? Not much - oh, except for one very important thing.
book award

Sergei Medvedev's "The Return of the Russian Leviathan" Wins 2020 Pushkin House Book Prize

Sergei Medvedev is the first author based in Russia to win the prestigious award.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Everything Has a Price in Russian

Is it worth reading? How much does it cost? It's nothing. All this for the price of one word: стоить.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The With, By, From, Per, About Preposition

Getting Russian prepositions and cases right is my life's goal. Judging by "c" I've got a long way to go.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Fast as a Russian Fly

Russians not only like to go fast, they like to talk about going fast.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Fruit of Our Language Labor

Whoever names fruit cultivars in Russia should get a lifetime achievement award.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Giant Saber-Toothed Grasshopper and Other Endangered Species

Watch День Радио, learn Russian, and laugh your head off. Win-win-win.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Muttering and Grousing the Russian Way

Russians didn't invent griping, but they have terrific words to describe it.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Autumn Leaves Are Not Yet Falling

Take a deep dive into months, calendars, years and other joys of Russian autumn.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Deciphering Russia's August Holidays

Why do Russians panic in August? What did they do 150 years ago? Hint: involves churches and food.
long read

Viсtoria Lomasko Reports on Belarus and Russian Vote

Victoria Lomasko shares her art and her response to events in Russia and Belarus.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Please Don't Hurt My Feelings

Is hurting someone's feelings illegal? Well, sort of. But maybe it shouldn't be. Read on...
opinion Michele A. Berdy

You Gotta Have Heart

For Russians, a heart is way more than a pump in your chest.
saving russian art

'Costakis' Choice' at Moscow's AZ Museum

The AZ Museum is celebrating the life and work of the man who saved Russian 20th century art.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

When Not Enough is Way Too Much

You can never have too much money or shashlyk.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Getting Out the Vote the Russian Way

People were voting by rules set in the Constitution they were voting on. How's that again?
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Ten Ways to Be Tired in Russian

Being tired is just so exhausting I feel like a squeezed out lemon. Really.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

When Time and Place Meet in Russian

Тут is such a simple, sweet-sounding word... and if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.
Russia against ALS

Russia Takes on ALS With a Marathon

Russia's only group to help patients with ALS is getting a jump on the ice bucket challenge.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Flying Objects and Other Horrors of Russian

Russian paronyms - летучий, летящий, летательный, летающий and лётный - are horrible.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

When a Russian Bum Is Not a Bum

Answering a question in my mailbag sent me down the rabbit hole of Russian abbreviations - great fun!
opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Russian Dos of Don'ts

When the command нельзя means don't, and when it means something else entirely.
quarantine culture

Night in the (Online) Museum and (Online) Movie Night

Celebrate night in the museum 2020 at home, and be sure to watch a remarkable film free online.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Shall We Zoom? I Zoom, Do You?

A very silly update on the language of our new normal in Russia.
opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russian Patience is a Virtue

We start today with a pop quiz about a curious word. Tune in.