tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4409814846400976038.post5407299335833537749..comments2024-03-11T08:32:32.526-05:00Comments on Living Rootless: Don't Throw Out the малыш With the Bath WaterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4409814846400976038.post-68528423056753925002012-06-12T23:10:45.707-05:002012-06-12T23:10:45.707-05:00Since Georgia is in Russian's butt, and they a...Since Georgia is in Russian's butt, and they are surrounded by the CIS countries (considering they were one, too, at one point), and especially with a huge focus on tourism and the never-ending disputes with Russia, I think it's incredibly important for the country to focus on both languages -English and Russian are equally important. Things might change though, next year, with Misha out of presidency.LindztheWizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05813681886351001117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4409814846400976038.post-86752041815813000702012-05-26T01:17:06.177-05:002012-05-26T01:17:06.177-05:00You make a good point about Russians now learning ...You make a good point about Russians now learning English, as are, of course, Georgia's Caucasus neighbors. <br /><br />I also like your point about internet info, though you made me wonder if that assumption (which I share) is accurate or if we're unknowing victims of English-centrism. Regardless, I think the online translation applications offset the language barrier, even if they're buggy sometimes. <br /><br />Interesting experience the other night: I was in a conversation class with four students. One had studied Arabic and Russian, and now English (four alphabets!). Another had studied Persian (Farsi), I think Russian, and now English. A third speaks Megrelian, a Georgian dialect with no alphabet. <br /><br />Georgia is in a unique geopolitical situation. With its turbulent history, the more languages Georgians learn the better, in my opinion. <br /><br />But again, I agree with you that English makes the most strategic sense as the 1st second language. By the way, Chinese native speakers are coming to Georgia to teach same, from what I understand.Mzurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13257270220138351795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4409814846400976038.post-10534720462073898812012-05-25T02:15:46.103-05:002012-05-25T02:15:46.103-05:00I have not found that Georgians are jumping over t...I have not found that Georgians are jumping over themselves to practice their English with us (apart from one Physics graduate on a train and one sixth form girl on a marshutka. We have been here since August 2011. However an important difference between English and Russian is that most of the information in the world (internet, scientific journals etc) are in English and there fore to access the information, a high level of English language competence is required. Russians also speak English and so if you are only going to learn one additional language then English has to be a priority over Russian.Jen2010https://www.blogger.com/profile/16584392452159974169noreply@blogger.com