The book Alive as Life carries the subtitle “A Conversation about the Russian Language,” and indeed, its structure feels more like a conversation. It covers several topics, all of which are related in some way to the development of the Russian language.
It’s clear that the author had a deep love for his native language, cared for it passionately, and wanted future generations to preserve and enrich it. Perhaps that’s why he begins the book with a chapter discussing changes in the language—how the younger generation brings new elements, while the older generation resists these changes with all their might. Kornei Chukovsky wrote this 55 years ago, and it’s already evident how much the language has evolved since then.
Read more
