According to the Modern Language Association (MLA), Russian is one of the 10 most studied languages in colleges and universities in the United States. There are about six million people in America who speak Russian, and the number is growing.
At colleges and universities, students can study Russian. For example, at Macalister College, students study Russian language and culture, travel to Russia and even live in the Russian House, watch Russian movies, and cook borscht and dumplings.
But if Americans do learn a second language, it is not for 8 or 9 years, as in Russia, but for 2-3 quarters only. So, it can be difficult for Americans to know the language well, speak it, understand jokes, and read books.
Some states have made the study of any foreign language compulsory because it gives a strong mental boost. Only those who learn languages well choose political or interpreter classes.
Next time we’ll talk about why students and schoolchildren learn Russian.