Linguistic foundations for studying Russian numerals by foreign learners

This article examines the grammar and usage of Russian numerals as studied by foreign students. The research is important as this area has not been sufficiently explored within modern linguistics and linguodidactics, particularly in terms of providing theoretical generalizations of grammatical aspects of numerals in teaching Russian as a foreign language. The study utilizes special textbooks for foreign students by V. K. Lebedev, E. S. Kotvitskaya, and O. I. Glazunova, as well as methodological works by M. V. Vsevolodova, V. N. Wagner, and others focused on teaching numerals within the context of a course in Russian as a foreign language (RFL). It is established that the application of a functional-semantic approach in linguodidactic description broadens the scope of numeral study by encompassing linguistic phenomena typically examined in other areas of grammar or sometimes disregarded entirely. Foreign students often face challenges when studying the declension of Russian numerals, which necessitates a shift in focus from individual paradigms to seeking grammatical analogies for a more comprehensive description. When analyzing syntactical structures in teaching Russian speech to foreigners, it is essential to not only address the traditional quantitative-nominal combinations found in grammars but also more complex nominal groups that include numerals (such as ten to the third power, depth of one hundred meters, one hundred kilometers per hour). This study emphasizes the need for further research into such groups with the aim of incorporating them into practical RFL courses.