Phonetic transcription in russian language textbooks for Czech primary schools (A1 level)
This article presents the results of a content analysis of six chosen textbooks of the Russian language for Czech primary schools. Phonetic transcription is analyzed as a mean of transfer of phonetic minimum in the Russian language textbooks for the Czechs. The research is mainly focused on the style of phonetic transcription (Latin alphabet, Cyrillic, a combination of Latin alphabet and Cyrillic) and on the way phonetic principles are explained: whether they are put into one unit or whether they are explained in more units. In the introduction to the article, the author mentions some theoretical works focused on the phonetic aspect of the Russian language for foreign learners, in addition to which some works of Czech researchers who are interested in the problems of the Russian phonetics for the Czechs are also referred to. Furthermore, in the introduction of the article a phonetic minimum of the Russian language for the Czechs is presented. The initial part of the article is focused on a comparison of Russian and Czech vocal and consonant systems. One of the typical features of the Czech language is correlation of long and short vowels occurring in all positions, whereas for the vocal system of the Russian language reduction of vowels in unstressed positions is characteristic. Another typical feature of the Czech language is correlation of voiced and voiceless consonants, which occurs in the Russian language as well and is accompanied by the correlation of hard and soft consonants. However, in contrast to the Russian language, in the Czech language this correlation occurs only in three pairs /d/ - /ď/, /t/ - /ť/, /n/ - /ň/. In the second part of the article there is a detailed analysis of individual phonetic phenomena for which phonetic transcription is used in the textbooks: a) markers of soft consonants, b) assimilation of consonants, c) changes in consonant clusters, d) reduction of vowels, e) sounds represented in script by letters е, ё, ю, я. In the final part of the article there is a summary of individual textbooks. The most thorough and complex one in regard to phonological phenomena is the “Poekhali 1-2” textbook. In the remaining textbooks, phonetic transcription depicts reduction of unstressed vowels, correlation of hard and soft consonants and processes of assimilation in an inaccurate and illogically organised way. One of the imperfections of the “Poekhali 1-2” textbook is the style of phonetic transcription - a combination of Latin alphabet and Russian Cyrillic.