გამარჯობა!
While staying in Georgia, I have learned a little bit about language in Georgian culture, such as the fact that most young Georgians prefer to speak Georgian, and also speak very good English. I learned how to say basic words in Georgian, including “thank you” and “hello.” In Russian, one of the most-used terms that I learned very quickly was the shortened version of the Russian word for “now.” In spoken Russian, my professors would use a fast pronunciation that sounded more like “shas.” I also learned about the importance of giving toasts in both Georgian and Russian culture, as well as common phrases used in toasts in each language.
Some of the differences in communication aren’t verbal. For example, Russian speakers don’t usually use eyes in their smiley faces. A Russian speaker will text a smiley face at the end of a sentence like this) and a frowny face like this(. At first, this took some getting used to, but it’s now a habit I have found myself using with my American friends, too. It is easier))
Bridget