The French Language in Russia: A Social, Political, Cultural, and Literary History (Languages and Culture in History)

-- With support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the UK and the Deutsches Historisches Institut Moskau -- The French Language in Russia provides the fullest examination and discussion to date of the adoption of the French language by the elites of imperial Russia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is interdisciplinary, approaching its subject from the angles of various kinds of history and historical sociolinguistics. Beyond its bearing on some of the grand narratives of Russian thought and literature, this book may afford more general insight into the social, political, cultural, and literary implications and effects of bilingualism in a speech community over a long period. It should also enlarge understanding of francophonie as a pan-European phenomenon. On the broadest plane, it has significance in an age of unprecedented global connectivity, for it invites us to look beyond the experience of a single nation and the social groups and individuals within it in order to discover how languages and the cultures and narratives associated with them have been shared across national boundaries. Cover -- Contents -- List of illustrations -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Presentation of dates, transliteration, and other editorial practices -- Abbreviations used in the notes -- The Romanovs -- Introduction -- Conventional assumptions about Franco-Russian bilingualism -- Russia and 'the West', and the two Russias -- Empire, nation, and language -- Sociolinguistic perspectives -- Methodological considerations -- Literature as a primary source -- Chapter 1. The historical contexts of Russian francophonie -- The spread of French in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe -- The westernization of Russia in the eighteenth century -- The introduction of foreign languages into eighteenth-century Russia -- The golden age of the nobility -- The Napoleonic Wars and the Decembrist Revolt -- The literary community and the intelligentsia in the age of Nicholas I -- Chapter 2. Teaching and learning French -- An overview of French teaching in Russia -- French versus German -- French versus Latin -- French (and English) versus Russian -- Acquiring social and cultural codes by learning French -- Chapter 3. French at court -- The discovery of sociability -- French as a sign of the status of the Russian court -- French as a court language under Catherine II -- French at the nineteenth-century court -- French as a royal language -- Chapter 4. French in high society -- The place of French in the noble's linguistic repertoire -- French in the sites of noble sociability -- The spirit of the grand monde and social relations in it -- Francophonie and social identity -- French beyond the metropolitan aristocracy -- Chapter 5. French in diplomacy and other official domains -- The Chancery of Foreign Affairs and language training for Russian diplomats -- The gradual rise of French in European and Russian treaties The French Language In Russia' Provides The Fullest Examination And Discussion To Date Of The Adoption Of The French Language By The Elites Of Imperial Russia During The Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries. It Is Interdisciplinary, Approaching Its Subject From The Angles Of Various Kinds Of History And Historical Sociolinguistics. Beyond Its Bearing On Some Of The Grand Narratives Of Russian Thought And Literature, This Book May Afford More General Insight Into The Social, Political, Cultural, And Literary Implications And Effects Of Bilingualism In A Speech Community Over A Long Period. It Should Also Enlarge Understanding Of Francophonie As A Pan-european Phenomenon. On The Broadest Plane, It Has Significance In An Age Of Unprecedented Global Connectivity, For It Invites Us To Look Beyond The Experience Of A Single Nation And The Social Groups And Individuals Within It In Order To Discover How Languages And The Cultures And Narratives Associated With Them Have Been Shared Across National Boundaries. Derek Offord, Vladislav Rjéoutski, Gesine Argent. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [589]-660) And Index. La 4e de couverture porte : " The French Language in Russia' provides the fullest examination and discussion to date of the adoption of the French language by the elites of imperial Russia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is interdisciplinary, approaching its subject from the angles of various kinds of history and historical sociolinguistics. Beyond its bearing on some of the grand narratives of Russian thought and literature, this book may afford more general insight into the social, political, cultural, and literary implications and effects of bilingualism in a speech community over a long period. It should also enlarge understanding of francophonie as a pan-European phenomenon. On the broadest plane, it has significance in an age of unprecedented global connectivity, for it invites us to look beyond the experience of a single nation and the social groups and individuals within it in order to discover how languages and the cultures and narratives associated with them have been shared across national boundaries." Contents List of illustrations Preface Acknowledgements Presentation of dates, transliteration, and other editorial practices Abbreviations used in the notes The Romanovs Introduction Chapter 1: The historical contexts of Russian francophonie Chapter 2: Teaching and learning French Chapter 3: French at court Chapter 4: French in high society Chapter 5: French in diplomacy and other official domains Chapter 6: Writing French Chapter 7: French for cultural propaganda and political polemics Chapter 8: Language attitudes Chapter 9: Perceptions of bilingualism in the classical Russian novel Conclusion Bibliography Index This book provides a wide-ranging account of the social, political, cultural, and literary functions of the French language in Russia from c. 1700 to 1917.

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