Word order... city, country or country, city?
In the book "We Begin to read in Russian", Kurlova IV, the author writes this example:
Завтра утром Анна летит в Италию, в Милан.
My question has to do with "в Италию, в Милан".
In English, we'd write or say, "to Milan, Italy". Is the Russian word order "normal" as written here?
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 13
2
Actually, "в Италию, в Милан" sounds more natural to me than "в Милан, в Италию". First you tell some general information, then you narrow it down.
"В Милан, в Италию" is a bit redundant to me. Milan is a well-known city and most people know it's in Italy.
2
Doesn't really matter, it's all contextual. In your example the point is that she"s flying to Italy, Milan is extra information. Important information comes first.
1
When you specify where a city is located, you use "city – country" order, eg: купить билеты в Милан, Италия
The phrase "Завтра утром Анна летит в Италию, в Милан" doesn't say anything about location of Milan, it simply says that Anna is flying to Italy, more specifically, to Milan.
0
John, "Austin, Tеxas" is somеthing VЕRY Amеrican for my еyе. And strangе:) Wе simply don't havе a standard formula for this.
Your example is said as two intonational units (thе comma dеnotеs this) as if it was a parеnthеtical phrasе likе "in Italy, as usually". Or еvеn as "....to Italy. To Milan."
0
It seams to me that if you tell people where are you from I'd rather use "city - country" (I'm from Kiev, Ukraine - Я из Киева, Украина). But when you say that Anna is flying somewhere and you specify where exactly pattern "country - city" sounds better (Anna is flying to Italy, Milan - Анна летит в Италию, в Милан)
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