Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-6-2017: UN Russian Language Day

Well … 

I wondered what happened, there?

As you’ve possibly worked out, I’ve been writing this blog for quite some time.

Usually?

There’s a clickable link at the bottom of each post, that says Read More.

It’s been there for a while.

Until yesterday: when it vanished.

Lord knows what happened there: I think Google were playing silly buggers.

I’ve managed to correct that.

The link?   Is now back.

Here’s hoping it sticks … !

~≈Ü≈~

Let’s — in the hope people can read this! — move on.

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in their answers: with both scoring five out of five.   The Day also saw Trevor‡ leaving us a comment.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s themed questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 6th June is UN Russian Language Day.   The date was chosen as it marks the birth of the man regarded as the father of Russian literature.   Who was that writer?

Q2) Russian is one of six official languages of the United Nations.   Name one of the others.

Q3) The Russian Alphabet has how many letters: 32, 33 or 34?

Q4) That alphabet is called the what Alphabet: Latin, Cyrillic or Turkic?

Q5) What’s the most frequently used letter in Russian?

Q6) Russian is an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan … and where else?

Q7) Nadsat is a made up language: based on a mixture of Russian and English.   It’s spoken in which Anthony Burgess novel?

Q8) The Izvestia newspaper was published in Russian.   The name, Izvestia, means what?

Q9) Mikhail Gorbachev made one Russian ‘G’ famous.   Which ‘G’?

Q10) Finally … What’s the one Russian word you’re likely to find in a screwdriver?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 5th June, 1257, saw Kraków giving formal rights as a city.   Kraków is in which European country?

A1) Poland.

Q2) The episode of The Milton Berle Show for 5th June, 1956 introduce Elvis’s new single.   Which single?

A2) Hound Dog.

Q3) In a referendum on 5th June, 1975, the UK voted to join the European Economic Community: or EEC.   Now called the EU, the UK voted to leave it, in which year?

A3) 2016.

Q4) 5th June, 1967, saw Israel launch an attack on which of its neighbours?

A4) Egypt.

Q5) Finally … 5th June, 1971, saw the birth of actor, Mark Wahlberg.   In which 2012 film does he play John Bennett?

A5) Ted.

I’ll leave you with a thought …

“The Russian language is able to express by means of one pitiless word the idea of a certain widespread defect for which the other three European languages I happen to know possess no special term.”

Vladimir Nabokov.

Some disco … 

A song that every Russian I’ve met will tell you is pronounced wrongª … 

And the only song by Russians, and in Russian … 

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        I think I’ve got is corrected, Olga^.   I’m not sure exactly what happened, but I think Google have been making some back-of-house changes: that’ve had a knock-on effect.   It’s mildly irritating … but been corrected, for now … 

†        You‘ve missed some of the excitement, Debbi^!   At ANY rate … ?   It sounds like Margaret and Hunter would get on … !   Talking of Orwell?   University College London is doing a live reading of 1984, today!   You can stream it, here.

‡        It’s OK, Trevor^, I think I’ve managed to correct things.   Hopefully, it’ll stick!

^        I have to admit, I feel rather pleased.   Q10, today?   Is a work of pub quizzing genius, if I do say so myself!

ª        Kate Bush pronounces it as ba-BOOSH-ka.   If I’ve understood it correctly?   It’s actually pronounced BAB-oosh-ka.