Vladimir Nabokov as a Kulturträger: Teaching Russian in the USA

Abstract

The article examines the methodological techniques of teaching Russian as a foreign language employed by the Russian and American writer Vladimir Nabokov and his activity as a culture bearer. Further, it explores Nabokov’s linguodidactic approaches, since he used literature as a language acquisition tool, paying special attention to phonetics, rhythm, word-formation, grammar, and vocabulary. Particular emphasis is placed on his method of transliteration, which allowed English-speaking students to gain a deeper understanding of Russian phonetics. In addition, the paper analyses Nabokov’s commentary on Eugene Onegin, his translations and lectures on Russian literature, demonstrating his teaching strategy. Being a bilingual writer, Nabokov sought to convey the finest nuances of the Russian language in his English-language works. His attention to language game, rhythmic and metric structures as well as stylistic expressiveness highlights his pursuit of textual musicality. Nabokov’s approach to conveying semantic and artistic subtleties is considered here in the light of contemporary studies on interlingual communication and translation. His pedagogical methods, focused on nuanced language perception, are noted to be valuable not only for teaching Russian as a foreign language, but also for a more profound understanding of bilingualism, literary translation and intercultural communication. An important feature of Nabokov’s pedagogical approach is the emphasis on intertextuality and cultural metaphor as mechanisms for better language perception. Additionally, the applicability of his methods in contemporary educational programmes is considered. Nabokov’s approach to language instruction underscores the importance of cultural context, multilayered meaning and artistic perception of text, making his contributions unique in the history of teaching Russian as a foreign language.