2013 Vol. 4 №1

This article summarises the observations of different authors about the modern condition of the Russian language in Estonia, outlines the emerging areas of research on the use of the Russian language and the features of language policy. The features of diaspora speech are described from the perspective of words and phrases, grammar indicators, language reflection, time, place, features of speech practices, and evaluations. The author considers the influence of language situation on the basic psychological, value-related, and cognitive layers of the linguistic personality.

This article examines the semantic scope of the notions of «грех / grēks» as fundamental ones in Russian and Latvian worldviews. Russian and Latvian proverbs and sayings help identify the basic, universal ideas about sin, as well as particular, national ones. The author comes to a conclusion that the Russian mentality — unlike the Latvian one — reflects the interaction and partial interference between the Christian an folk worldviews, whereas the notion of sin is found in the intersection areas, which is indicative of their similarity rather than identity.