It seems to me that most Slavic languages sound the same. I can hardly differenciate them. Perhaps Russian has got a more peculiar phonology, but as for Polish, Czech, Bulgarian and even Serbo-Croatian, they all sound somehow very similar. what about you? Can you easily distinguish them?
Slavic languages
Finally, we have a different question, I was really fed up with romance languages! As a speaker of German , I have to say that it's not easy to differenciate most Slavonic languages but probably a longer exposure may help....
I would agree that all of them have a distinguishable and characteristic sound to them. So much so, that even other languages, like Portuguese have been described as having a "slavic" sound.
Sorry to bring up the Romance language thing again, Gertrude :) But it was unavoidable.
Sorry to bring up the Romance language thing again, Gertrude :) But it was unavoidable.
I can even hear the difference between Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian. I cannot distinguist Serbian from Montenegrin though. Don't speak Serbo-Croatian. They sound really different.
To me the they all sound very distinctive. It's a matter of exposure, definitely.
<<I can even hear the difference between Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian. I cannot distinguist Serbian from Montenegrin though. Don't speak Serbo-Croatian. They sound really different. >>
<<To me the they all sound very distinctive. It's a matter of exposure, definitely. >>
Yes, very distinctive on a micro-level; however, very similar on a macro-level.
Don't miss the point, all languages are distinct to some degree, but on average, all Slavic languages sound closer to one another (barring extreme exceptional cases) than to other languages of other language groups.
<<To me the they all sound very distinctive. It's a matter of exposure, definitely. >>
Yes, very distinctive on a micro-level; however, very similar on a macro-level.
Don't miss the point, all languages are distinct to some degree, but on average, all Slavic languages sound closer to one another (barring extreme exceptional cases) than to other languages of other language groups.
Well, the Q was: 'Can you easily distinguish them?'
I can. Period. I've been exposed to them all; a lot.
I get your point though, Leasnam; still, the same could be said for any language group, imho. You can't possibly believe that Portuguese sounds closer to Russian than to other Romance languages, Spanish for instance, or even French?
I can. Period. I've been exposed to them all; a lot.
I get your point though, Leasnam; still, the same could be said for any language group, imho. You can't possibly believe that Portuguese sounds closer to Russian than to other Romance languages, Spanish for instance, or even French?
<<You can't possibly believe that Portuguese sounds closer to Russian than to other Romance languages, Spanish for instance, or even French>>
To my Anglo-Scottish ears, yes, Portuguese, especially Brazilian Portuguese, sort-of does--at first hear. Only because it has some similar phonemes, and a fill of palatised sounds, esp fricatives: /Z/, /S/, /dZ/
To my Anglo-Scottish ears, yes, Portuguese, especially Brazilian Portuguese, sort-of does--at first hear. Only because it has some similar phonemes, and a fill of palatised sounds, esp fricatives: /Z/, /S/, /dZ/
What about native Slavic speakers, can you distinguish other Slavic languages? Do they sound foreign?
My language is Russian and I can define Ukrainian and Polish very easyly, Czech and Slovak are distinct but they sound the same(so i can say this is Czech or Slovak) and Balkan languages, but inside of this group they are all the same to me, Serbian, Croatian, but I guess that's becasue they have very tiny differences.
And all Slavic languages despite the numerous similarities sound foreign to me mainly because of pronounsiation and putting the stress.
-Balkan languages sound a bit rough, sometimes i think they don't have any palatilized sounds.
-Czech and Slovak have long vowels and the stress is always on the first syllable, so they have rhythm and something like singing in it.
-Polish is notorious for its highly dense using of SH, CH, SHCHSTS and nasal sounds
-Ukrainian lacks for palatalized sounds as well and famous for sound "h" instead of "g", generally it sounds very funny for Russians.
What about pecularities of Russian?
My language is Russian and I can define Ukrainian and Polish very easyly, Czech and Slovak are distinct but they sound the same(so i can say this is Czech or Slovak) and Balkan languages, but inside of this group they are all the same to me, Serbian, Croatian, but I guess that's becasue they have very tiny differences.
And all Slavic languages despite the numerous similarities sound foreign to me mainly because of pronounsiation and putting the stress.
-Balkan languages sound a bit rough, sometimes i think they don't have any palatilized sounds.
-Czech and Slovak have long vowels and the stress is always on the first syllable, so they have rhythm and something like singing in it.
-Polish is notorious for its highly dense using of SH, CH, SHCHSTS and nasal sounds
-Ukrainian lacks for palatalized sounds as well and famous for sound "h" instead of "g", generally it sounds very funny for Russians.
What about pecularities of Russian?
I understand. To my Slavic ear, Portuguese phonemes (and the language as whole) sound more French than Russian, though. Romanian also sounds unmistakably Romanic, to me. I take it as a fact that Romanian is the most Slavic sounding Romance language, but still not even close to the real sound.
I can identify any Slavic language with ease, with the exception of Belorussian; it's new to me. Polish and Bulgarian - different planets!
Note that Slavic languages are generally not mutually intelligible.
Note that Slavic languages are generally not mutually intelligible.
Note that Slavic languages are generally not mutually intelligible
Polish and Czech are mutally intelligible and also Croatian/Slovene
even Russian /Bulgarain to some extent
Polish and Czech are mutally intelligible and also Croatian/Slovene
even Russian /Bulgarain to some extent