The Days of Slavic Script and Culture between departments

From May 6 to 29, 2020 the Days of Slavic Script and Culture were held at the Department of Philology. Every year these Days are organized by the Chair of General and Russian Linguistics at the Department of Philology. It is always a holiday of the Word – a good occasion to remember those who by their works left a bright mark in the history of language development and education of our ancestors.

This year, despite the fact that the events took place in different formats (face-to-face and correspondence), the program of the Days was also eventful: it contained 18 diverse and hopefully long memorable events. Many of them required considerable training and effort on the part of both teachers and students, often going beyond the department.

The most significant event of the Days was the International Student Scientific Conference “Word in Language, Speech, Text” (on May 22–23). The conference program included more than one hundred reports of students, master and post-graduate students from Belarus, Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria. The conference materials will be published in the collection of scientific works of young scientists.

There is a wonderful special edition of the wall newspaper “Word” called “I would learn Russian”. This edition is based on the texts of the finalists' speeches, winners of the contest of foreign students' oratorical skills “Studying Eloquence – 2020”. The newspaper was created by L. A. Goduiko, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of Chair of General and Russian Linguistics, and students Aina Khemeliaeva and Atamyrat Gylydzhov (II year, specialty “Russian language and literature. Foreign Language (English)”, group “V”).

On May 6, the rhetorical readings “About Close and Dear” (organized by Associate Professor G. V. Pisaruk) were held. Students of the II year of specialty “Russian philology” prepared speeches on different topics: V. Richko discussed on the topic “What is happiness”, A. Yarmoshevich shared her thoughts that life is poetry, and it combines different genres, A. Karpovich told about her favorite hobby. The presentations of V. Samotuga (about the inevitability of mistakes in life and the ability to right attitude to them), M. Labai (about the need to protect nature), A. Shingireeva (about the functions of music accompanying the life of mankind), E. Vinogradova (about laziness as an enemy of our life) were also interesting. The Turkmen students also took part in the rhetorical readings: Enesh Veliyeva spoke about Turkmen carpets, and Akur Aymyradova prepared a speech about Akhal-Teke horses.

On May 7, the video lecture “At the origins of literary and editorial activity: Francisk Skorina” with students of the III year of the specialty “Russian philology” took place. The students watched and discussed with Associate Professor T. M. Liantsevich the documentary films “Francisk Skorina. Mysteries of the Great Enlightener” and “Pershadrukar”, dedicated to the life and activities of the great East Slavic first printer, philosopher, humanist, writer, translator, public figure, entrepreneur and medical scientist.

On May 13, senior teacher L. N. Gritsuk organized the exciting game “History of the Russian alphabet”. The game was attended by the I year students of the Department of Philology, specialty “Russian philology” and the II year students of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogics, specialty “Psychology”. The teams answered the questions related to the history of the Cyrillic alphabet emergence and formation. The participants of the game called the “birthday of the letter ё” (29 November 1783), answered the question about “the dearest” letter of the Russian alphabet until 1918 (the letter ъ (yer)), analyzed the quantitative composition of the alphabet at different times of its existence. Both teams were well prepared. The winner was the team of the Department of Philology, which was 1 point ahead of its opponents.

On May 15, the competition of experts in historical Russian grammar “Historical Battle” was held, organized by Associate Professors of the chair S. A. Korolevich and N. E. Nikitina. The event was attended by foreign students of the II year of the specialty “Russian language and literature. Foreign Language (English)” (groups “A” and “B”). Both teams demonstrated ingenuity and knowing historical changes in the Russian language. Group "A" won in the intense struggle.

On May 20, II year foreign students of the specialty “Russian language and literature. Foreign Language (English)” (groups “A” and “B”) took an active part in the Virtual tour of cooking books of the Slavs (organized by senior teacher E. E. Verteiko). Students virtually got acquainted with traditional dishes popular in Slavic countries: “tasted” Belarusian draniki with sour cream, “tasted” Ukrainian vareniki and Polish pancakes “nalesniki”, learned a lot of new and interesting things about Russian pies, as well as “learned to cook” the traditional Slovakian pie “Babovka Dvoubarevna”.

On May 23, the exhibition “Alphabet is the language heraldry” opened, prepared by Associate Professor N. M. Gurina and senior lecturers L. N. Gritsuk, G. A. Veremeyuk. The exhibition consisted of three sections: scientific works, spiritual literature and developments of the chair, which included scenarios for the solemn closing of the Days of Slavic Script and Culture, puppet show “Solunsky Brothers” and others. The exhibits attracted not only the students of different faculties (foreign students of the first year of mathematical, geographical, biological faculties), but also master students of the specialty “Linguistics”.

May 24-25 are special days for all who are involved in the work with words. May 24 is the Day of Remembrance of St. Cyril and Methodius, Equal-to-the-Apostles. The Solunsky brothers, having created the alphabet and having made translations from Greek into the Slavic language of books of the Sacred Writings, have begun our profession – philology. May 25 is the Day of the Philologist. On these Days for many years in a row with us are the participants of the children's choir of the Sunday School at St. Nicholas Church in Brest (regent A. N. Deineka). And this year, students and teachers of the Department of Philology expressed sincere gratitude to our friends for the excellent performance of spiritual songs, Fr. Pavel (Romanovich), director of the Sunday School, for kind words and heartfelt wishes on the Day of Slavic Script. Pure children's voices, heartfelt, coming from the heart and filled with true faith, the words of Angelina Daineko, addressed to students, are always memorable, touching the mind and soul.

On May 26, the contest of expressive reading among foreign students “To the microphone” (organized by Associate Professor L. A. Goduyko) was held. The participants were foreign students of the II year of the specialty “Russian language and literature. Foreign Language (English)”, group “V”). The contest was held in two stages. The first “You can't speak any patters, you can't repeat them” – speaking patters; the second “I would become an announcer...” – an expressive reading of the proposed fragment of text. The fight was in both team and personal rankings. The first place was taken by the team “Victory”: Ogulnur Ashyrova, Begmyrat Gurbangeldiev, Bagtygul Dzhoraeva, Sapa Kakyshov and Natalia Ovezova. The team “Linguists” (Ogulbagt Akmukhamedova, Polat Kakobayev, Abdul Mamedov, Akjemal Rovshenova, Tashlieva Shemshat) took the second place. The event was also informative: students got acquainted with the famous Soviet announcer Y. Levitan, saw the performance of poetic works by A. Pushkin and G. Shpalikov by famous actors and musicians.

On May 28, the meeting of the Chair of General and Russian Linguistics with foreign students of the IV year “On the threshold of professional life” took place (organizers: Candidates of Philological Sciences, Associate Professors L. A. Goduiko and S. A. Korolevich). There was an interesting and warm talk about the years spent by graduates in their native university, about plans for the future. The students tried to do their best, to express themselves in different roles: presenters (Suray Atajanova, Jemal Saparova, Aziza Rozmetova, Merdan Jumaev, Halnepes Torayev, Byagul Annasahidova), readers (Akmyrat Jumaev, Dinora Toraeva, Dilrabo Abdrimova), orators (Aziza Rozmetova), singers (Suray Atajanova, Jemal Saparov), fashion designers (Aina Khommaev and Gulshat Veliyeva demonstrated their works), hosts of the quiz “Guess the Melody” (Suray Atajanova), interview participants.

Guys from other years also came to congratulate their older friends: Gulnara Atajanova (3^rd year student) gave a sincere and emotional parting word, Suleiman Khummedov (2^nd year student) gave wonderful musical numbers to all participants of the celebration.

The Head of the Chair O. B. Perekhod summed up the meeting, and also (by tradition) presented letters of gratitude addressed to the parents of the best students – those who successfully mastered the Russian language, who took part in the implementation of various chair projects: Aziza Rozmetova, Suray Atajanova, Aina Khemeliaeva, Jemal Saparova. Congratulations were also given to other representatives of the chair, who were with foreign students all these four years...

The Days of Slavic Script and Culture showed that not random people study and work at the Department of Philology, and we are all united by the word, the meaning of which is difficult to overestimate. It teaches and guides, pleases and brings light.

Chair of General and Russian Linguistics