Linguistic notes

Focusing on the evolution of the Russian literary language, the book explores how fiction serves as a norm-setting mechanism, with national writers influencing language use. It traces the language's development from the Peter the Great era, addressing bilingualism and the integration of foreign borrowings, through Lomonosov's contributions in refining language, to Karamzin's efforts to bridge oral and written forms. The culmination of this evolution is attributed to Pushkin, who played a pivotal role in shaping modern Russian literary expression.