Muscovites learn Central Asian languages to improve ties with migrants: Organisers of new Tajik, Uzbek, Kazakh and Moldovan language classes say they hope to ease tensions between Muscovites and migrant workers from Central Asia On a recent warm and sunny Friday evening, the pavilion was packed for a Tajik language class; there was not one free chair. Tajik is the most popular course, Sergeeva said, with 45 to 55 people attending every week. Though Muzeon closed registration at the beginning of May, people continue calling and asking to be let in. Sergeeva doesn’t mind; she can’t just throw them out, she said. She suspects Russians have such an interest in Tajik because it is “the most exotic language” on offer, and the Tajik population in Moscow is so visible. Student Antonina Chelombeeva, a Russian-language teacher from Moscow, has a professional interest in Tajik (a close relative of Persian): some of her students are from Tajikistan. “It’s Omar Khayyam’s language and I love his poetry. And I just like studying; I want to learn something new. Moreover, this is not just a linguistics course, the teacher describes a lot about Tajik culture,” Chelombeeva told EurasiaNet.org. “Tajik culture is fascinating,” said Katya, 25, who attends the Tajik course with her friend, also named Katya. “We know nearly nothing about our neighbours’ cultures. We [Russians] are prejudiced toward Tajiks, but this is an ancient nation with a great history and legacy.” Twenty-something Muscovite Alexey Laposhin hopes to learn some basic phrases so he can talk to Tajik workers in Moscow “so they might feel more welcome.”
Posted on: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 18:15:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015