METHODS OF TEACHING RUSSIAN LITERARY PRONUNCIATION IN TURKICSPEAKING AUDIENCES: EVOLUTION, PERIODS (LATE 19th – EARLY 21st CENTURIES)

Abstract

This article examines the pressing issue of the evolution of teaching Russian literary pronunciation to Turkic language speakers from both diachronic and synchronic perspectives. Currently, Russian language instruction in the CIS is not centrally regulated (unlike during the Soviet era, when Moscow held this authority). The teaching methodology has transitioned from a monocentric to a polycentric approach, with each CIS country now determining its own curriculum and scope for Russian language education in schools and universities. However, the content of Russian for educational purposes remains monocentric, adhering to a single literary standard. This sociolinguistic situation in the CIS necessitates a reevaluation of traditional Russian language teaching methodologies, particularly in terms of literary pronunciation. This reevaluation should consider the accentual-phonemic characteristics of the Russian language and the vowel harmony system inherent to Turkic languages, especially within the context of the shrinking social role of Russian alongside dominant state languages. This research aims to establish linguistically contrastive and didactic foundations for developing methodological recommendations to enhance the teaching of Russian literary pronunciation to Turkic language speakers. This approach takes into account the specific features of linguistic and methodological concepts from both diachronic and synchronic perspectives. The study proposes that teaching literary pronunciation should build upon past experiences and adapt to the contemporary multilingual and multicultural environment of Turkic-speaking republics, where Russian remains a compulsory subject in general education. The history of teaching Russian pronunciation to non-native speakers (both before and after 1917) can be categorized into four distinct periods. The four scientifically-grounded methodological concepts developed during these periods have played a positive role in shaping the overall methodology of teaching Russian in the Soviet republics and the modern CIS. This research holds theoretical significance by identifying and describing the scientific basis of these four methodological concepts. It further explores the potential for their synthesis and refinement within contemporary polycentric contexts. The practical implications of this study lie in its potential to inform the creation of exercise systems for philology students. These systems would benefit from incorporating the specific features of teaching Russian pronunciation within an environment where a state (native) language holds a dominant position. Future research could explore the development of teaching materials focused on Russian literary pronunciation for Turkic language speakers, specifically addressing the polycentric nature of modern Russian language teaching methodologies. The methods employed in this research include intralingual and interlingual comparisons, minimal pair analysis, and others. These methods facilitate deeper scientific analysis and contribute to obtaining relevant scientific and methodological results.