How the Internet Is Changing Written Language
Nowadays people spend a long time on internet, searching for information, reading articles and books, watching various programmes... And of course, exchanging ideas. And communicating in a written form gradually eroded the boundary between the oral and written speech.
It wouldn't be a problem if the recording of spoken language and written language was becoming richer and more varied. But unfortunately, this is quite the opposite: our written language becomes more and more primitive.
Informal Communication on the Internet
Of course, in an informal communication on the internet we use conversational formulas, sentences and interjections. No one expects us to write in dactylic hexameter. And no supernatural efforts are requested. It would be enough just to remember the existence of subordinate clauses, which would allow our speech not to be so miserable. But if we look at the language used in conversation, it is almost entirely composed of denominative sentences and interjections. And many people have the habit of writing in this way. They transposed it to the written language in general.
Freedom from Grammar Rules
Of course, internet is the area of freedom. Freedom from censorship, but sometimes (and more and more often nowadays) also freedom from grammar rules. Errors that existed before only in private correspondence, are now widely spread and repeated by thousands of people.
Here you can find few examples of today's new communication exchanges:
Russian Internet Slang Examples
Example 1: «На этот щот» and «Вынести моск»
“У меня на этот щот например есть своё мнение и если я вдруг соберусь его озвучить то у всех будет вынесен моск хотя бы на три четверти, и дело даже не в том, что я по сути являюсь неудобоваримой сукой а в том что от такой нелепой и вялой показушности какой то становится непременно грустно и даже безнадёжно на душе и прочей инфраструктуре. Я недовольна и резолюция не будет подписана, а даже будет смята разорвана сожжена и выброшена вместе с мыслями.”
Did you get the message? Maybe you would understand it better if it was written that way:
“У меня на этот счёт (щот) например есть своё мнение, и если я вдруг соберусь его озвучить, то у всех будет вынесен мозг (моск) хотя бы на три четверти, и дело даже не в том, что я по сути являюсь непонятной (неудобоваримой) сукой а в том, что от такой нелепой и вялой показушности какой-то становится непременно грустно и даже безнадёжно на душе и прочей инфраструктуре. Я недовольна, и резолюция не будет подписана, а даже будет смята, разорвана сожжена и выброшена вместе с мыслями.”
Russian Internet Slang Vocabulary
На этот щот (на этот счёт) – concerning this matter, about it
Вынести моск (мозг) на три четверти – to blow one’s mind a little
Неудобоваримый (непонятный) – strange, smth which is not possible to understand
Показушность – swank
English Translation
I have my own opinion concerning this matter but if I decide to share it, it will blow everyone’s mind. And the reason of this is that one feels very sad and hopeless because of this absurd swank, rather than the fact that I’m such a strange bitch. I’m not satisfied and the resolution will be squashed, torn, burnt and thrown away together with the thoughts.
Not sure what your current Russian level is? Take our free Russian language test and check your grammar and vocabulary.
Example 2: «Много букаф, ниасилил»
“Много незнакомых букаф (букв) и слов, ниасилил (не осилил).”
Много букаф (букв) – many letters
Ниасилил (не осилил) – couldn’t cope with smth, couldn’t manage
Many new letters and words, couldn’t manage to finish reading.
Russian learners meet different types of vocabulary at every stage. Read more about the five levels of learning Russian.
Example 3: «С прибабахом» and «Тараканы в черепушке»
“С прибабахом (с лёгкой степенью безумия) чувак (мужчина, человек) и с охрененно (от слова хрен) жирными тараканами в черепушке.”
С прибабахом – crazy
Чувак (человек) – dude
Охрененно – f*cking
Тараканы в черепушке – some strange thoughts, ideas in one’s head
Crazy dude with really strange ideas in his head.
Why Russian Internet Slang Is Difficult for Learners
Russian internet slang may be difficult to understand because people often change the spelling of familiar words, use colloquial expressions and combine standard Russian with humour and irony.
Words such as «букаф», «ниасилил» and «моск» do not follow standard spelling rules. Learners may not find them in an ordinary dictionary, even when they already know the correct words «букв», «не осилил» and «мозг».
To understand informal written Russian, it is important to pay attention not only to grammar and vocabulary, but also to context, tone and the intention of the writer.
You can find more articles about the language, traditions and everyday life in the Ruslanguage blog about Russian language and culture.
Conclusion
Internet communication has made the boundary between spoken and written Russian less clear. People use slang, conversational expressions, deliberate spelling mistakes and shortened phrases to communicate emotions, humour and irony.
For students of Russian, these expressions are useful because they help to understand real online conversations. At the same time, it is important to distinguish internet slang from standard written Russian and to know when informal expressions are appropriate.
Learning both standard Russian and everyday language will help you understand native speakers, read online discussions and communicate more confidently.
Learn more about the Ruslanguage School and meet our experienced teachers of Russian as a foreign language.
