English:a language bristling with new discoveries every day

Hello there !

Since about two years now, I make myself improve my knowledge of English : by listening, by speaking, by inreaching my vocabulary, phrases expressions, by adjusting both my spelling and pronunciation. Every day I am surprised, indeed delighted by the richness of the English language.

A very small example : this morning I have discovered that the word Russia should be pronounced without the i, what surely may seem insignificant to many. But for me, it is this kind of small feature that shows me that I have still got a long way to go to build up an accurate knowledge of English.

Cheers. Claude.

I think only a minority of Brits pronounce them 'Row-dee-Zee-uh' and In-dow-nee-Zee-uh', part and parcel of a posh accent though.

<<this morning I have discovered that the word Russia should be pronounced without the i, what surely may seem insignificant to many.>>

If I remember rightly, the word Russia comes from the Rus who were Swedish Vikings who ruled between the 9th and the 11th century.