May 01 2024, 14:48

I found a book by Lewis Carroll in which he describes his impressions from visiting Moscow with Henry Liddon in 1867.

He was most kind in answering our questions, and in giving us many hints on seeing Petersburg, pronouncing the language, etc., but gave us rather dismal prospects of what is before us, as he says very few speak any language but Russian. As an example of the extraordinary long words which the language contains, he spelt for me the following:

защищающихся

which, written in English letters, is Zashtsheeshtshayoushtsheekhsya. This alarming word is the genitive plural of a participle, and means “of persons defending themselves.”