This year marks the 120th anniversary of Academician Lev Vladimirovich Shcherba , a man of rare charm, deep knowledge and noble thoughts. He was a teacher of more than one generation of Russian linguists, a constantly searching thinker, a guardian of public enlightenment. B. A. Larin, one of L. V. Shcherba's students, said about him: "Such a tall man, such a purposeful fighter and seeker, unbending in loyalty to his principles, lived restlessly, tensely, and sometimes miserably. In this life of vicissitudes and misery, he reminded us more than once of the Knight of the Sorrowful Image; in his biography there were encounters with highwaymen, fights with windmills, and donkey kicking... But he also knew the happiness of victories, lived to see recognition and honor. Whether it was necessary to take more care of this fragile body and strong spirit of a person, or such a bright and restless person cannot be durable, but we lost him too soon... " (quoted from Kolesov V. V. L. V. Shcherba, Moscow, 1987, p. 146).

Years later, his students and followers will write books about Lev Vladimirovich, publish works, and share their memories of this legendary, but earthy, simple and human scientist. But until now, many episodes of the life of L. V. Shcherba remain not fully covered. They - these fragments of memory-are in his letters to people who are close in spirit and work, those with whom his fate will bind him for many years to come, with whom he will go side by side in difficult years for Russian science, and to whom, finally, he will fully contribute, hoping and believing in young forces...

The letters we found from L. V. Shcherba to D. N. Ushakov and V. V. Vinogradov, as well as a letter from T. G. Shcherba, the scientist's wife, are interesting in many ways. Rich in ideas, lively, direct and very frank messages of Lev Vladimirovich convey to us the aspirations and hopes of those years, what is so acutely perceived now and is still in the field of view of modern science. In this sense, the remark of R. I. Avanesov is very true, who said touching and precise words about his teacher: "Through the distance of decades, I see L. V. Shcherba: tall, and therefore seemingly thin, with a huge forehead, thinning hair on the crown with gray, a beard protruding forward; he is always looking for and is always not satisfied with what he has found; it sees

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further and more than others, so he, a well-known scientist, was still not understood and sufficiently appreciated by all his contemporaries. Shcherba put so many questions before linguistic science, often anticipating its future development, that, without falling into exaggeration, we can say: he is not only our past, but also our burning modernity. .. Shcherba always looked for new ways, never bowed his head before the authorities, although he carefully studied them. This is the main testament of him-a scientist and a person - to future generations" (Avanesov R. I. On meetings with Lev Vladimirovich Shcherba // Teoriya yazyka, metody ego issledovaniya i prepodavaniya [Theory of language, methods of its research and teaching].

Letters are published for the first time with the author's word usage preserved. Abbreviations are disclosed in angle brackets, as well as minor omissions that, for editorial reasons, are not included in this publication.

L. V. Shcherba to D. N. Ushakov

28. Kh. 1912 SPb. V. O. 11,44,16.

Dear Dmitry Nikolaevich,

Please forgive me if I don't answer right away, but I've been dreadfully busy with various matters, and I didn't notice your postscript about the October 30th meeting at first.

And even now I can hardly write you anything sensible.

The history of the case is as follows: the report grew out of my teaching needs, as well as from my personal scientific needs. When I made it, I didn't have any particularly broad ideas in mind - I just thought that it would be useful to start thinking about this issue in Russia(1). I was also thinking of getting some of the members of the Society to do something definite.

The Linguistic Section, however, at the suggestion of A. A. Shakhmatov, took a different view of the matter: it decided to subject the issue once again to discussion, involving all interested Russian scientists as much as possible. And it is assumed that there will be no decision that will come from the Neophilological Society. Of course, any such "decision" is essentially very groundless and even seems dangerous from the point of view of wasting the authority of Society. And I do not know if any decision will be made in the end. I think it will depend on what the requested persons say and write. I think we've sent it out to all the Russian scientists, leaving the Slavists abroad for now, thinking we should see if we can make a deal at home.

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Questions, cat(s) it seems to me that the consequences of such a statement of the case will be the following::

1) Whether it is timely to take any collective steps in the sense of adopting a particular transcription system, or, recognizing that the issue is not mature enough, leave the matter to time and the natural struggle for the existence of different systems.

2) If the answer to the first question is yes, the second question arises : should we join the Association phonetique generale without further discussion?

3) If not (on the second point), then do not accept my offer.

4) If yes (for the 3rd p (unktu)), then what is it?

That's how I see it. I apologize for the clueless and, perhaps, not quite complete statement: toro (spit) scary.

I am very glad that you are taking the matter seriously, but this somewhat dispels my pessimism - I kept thinking that the matter was not yet ripe.

Your comments are personal and "commission", of course, very important, as I think. You can see for yourself now.

You can send them to me as a speaker or as a section secretary.

I'm sorry that I don't write anything more than I would like to: I'll run to drop the letter now so that you can receive it, even on the 30th in the morning.

Sincerely yours, L. Shcherba

Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. f. 502. On. 4. Ed. hr. N 46. Ll. 1-1 vol. - la-la vol. An autograph.

L. V. Shcherba to D. N. Ushakov

(Petrograd), 13. III. 1916

Dear Dmitry Nikolaevich,

Thank you so much for your submissions. Your textbook(2), in my opinion, is very appropriate. Cheap and everything you need.

I am deeply indebted to you for the map. I did not send you timely information about the Great Russians in the Kharkiv province (in the Akhtyrsky and Grayvoronsky uyezds). I knew the exact boundaries of the island, and I had some information about the dialect. If you are still interested in this, I can let you know if necessary. The most amazing thing is that they (...) both women and even men kept the costume. You come to their village directly, as if to a museum. Unfortunately, my photos were unsuccessful.

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Since you're doing me such a favor, I can't ask you to send me the works of the commission." 1 and 2(3).

In addition, if you accept nonresident members and if your membership is paid, then I would be very happy to become a member of your commission. So far I have been a little far away from Russian dialectology, but I feel that I am getting closer to it; the circumstances themselves are driving me in this direction.

Now, however, I am busy with other things, but in between you can't help but be interested in Russian dialectology.

Have you received my new book(4)? One of these days I will send you a small booklet (5) - an appendix to it.

All the best for now.

Sincerely yours, L. Shcherba

Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 502. On. 4. Ed. hr. N 46. Ll. 2-2 vol. An autograph.

L. V. Shcherba to D. N. Ushakov

(Petrograd), ZO. Kh. 1921 V. O., 11, 44, 5.

Dear Dmitry Nikolaevich,

I wanted to personally congratulate you today and "asked" Buslaev (6) for a business trip to Moscow on Dictionary matters(7). Unfortunately, I didn't get anything from him - no reply, no greetings.

So let me give you a written hug and wish you at least live to see your 50th birthday(8). Now this wish is probably the most real, because our life now seems to me to be somewhat inauthentic; and I would like to live a real life.

Meanwhile, in addition to your celebration, I would very much like to get to Moscow on Dictionary business. The thing is, I'd like to talk about dictionary cases in your environment, so that I can smell the behavior between the lines, so to speak. Most importantly, I would like to find out how solid the whole thing is. After all, there is nothing from Moscow: no news, no money to equip the premises and move there, no salary. It was repeatedly written about all this, on occasion it was said, and who is still there. The main thing ( - ) is that no one writes anything. None of my requests have been fulfilled, so I'm starting to think that there's nothing at all, and I'm fooling people here for nothing.

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Maybe I don't understand Moscow's intentions well, or they've changed - I just don't understand anything. I would like to have a heart-to-heart conversation: I am a simple person and can speak very simply.

Therefore, please, Dmitry Nikolaevich, write to me simply how the whole matter stands and who to contact, who would answer, and if there is a case at all, if you can arrange for me to come to Moscow (unless, of course, I turned out to be an unsuitable person). I really need to spend some time in your environment and understand your intentions. this is especially important for the next stage of work.

In the meantime, let me once again greet you and shake your hand warmly.

Your L. Shcherba

Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 502. On. 4. Ed. hr. N 46. Ll. 3-Za-Za ob. - Z ob. An autograph.

L. V. Shcherba to V. V. Vinogradov

11.1 Kh.<19>40 (Leningrad)

Dear Viktor Vladimirovich,

I'm sorry that I've been silent like a sarcophagus until now (I don't know where this expression comes from). The fact is that I received your letter at the dacha, but just before I left, and I left on August 30 - on your letter there was some inscription about "taking out such and such a date from the box", which, obviously, was supposed to excuse some delay, but it is not clear where. When I didn't arrive in the city right away, I saw Barkhudarov, and then I got sick - and so it has lasted to this day.

First, about official matters. Presumably, at the end of September, we will all be in Moscow and talk about many things in more detail. In the meantime, you are expected to plan for the rest of 1940, and especially for 1941.

I believe that the theme could be the style of the Russian language. It would have been nice if this topic had already been discussed in 1940. You have submitted the" something " of sheet 2, which can be printed as a special article (if you want it), or can only be a draft document of what will be printed in the future. For 1941, it is necessary to plan sheets 8. The end of work at the end of 1942 could be planned. But it can be different - just to write in the plan convincingly. It would be nice for you to read a report on your topic once this half-year (expenses for your visit, of course, will be reimbursed). This half-year, perhaps, it will be possible to speak at the session; but we will talk about this. We also count on your prior consultation with us.

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criticism of our grammar(9) as it is prepared, and this you can put in your plan for these 4 months and reduce the other load accordingly.

Drawing up such a planning document, of course. If you don't mind, we need to move it somewhere soon, so send it to us as soon as possible.

Now another thing: I am very touched by your note(10) about me. I would say that it may be, although from my point of view, correctly assesses the essence of the matter, gives the impression of a somewhat subjective assessment. Therefore <...>(11).

Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 1602. On. 1. Ed. hr. N 377. Ll. 2-2 vol. An autograph.

L. V. Shcherba to V. V. Vinogradov

24.IV.<19>42

Molotovsk Kirov region (b (junior) Nolinsk) Institute of Schools of the People's Commissariat of Education

Dear Viktor Vladimirovich,

I got your address from Loi (12) and was going to write it for a long time, but I somehow postponed everything. The other day, however, I received a letter from the director of the Institute where you recently worked in Moscow, T. A. Vlasova, asking her to write a review about you. I did it immediately, and all the paperwork went to its destination.

I will be very happy if all this leads to the desired results. By the way, the review of Vlasova herself is excellent, and if it has weight, then success is guaranteed. And that would be a real triumph of justice.

Financially, I think. You're doing pretty well. You got to Tobolsk in the summer, so that you could prepare for the winter. In addition, it is probably such a hole that prices are still not "homeric". I hope that you have some earnings.

How are you and Nadezhda Matveevna's health?

We live hard here. We turned out to be 11 people (myself, my wife, Anna Genrikhovna, Mitya with his wife and 2 children, Olga Nikolaevna-the youngest daughter - in-law-with 2 children and (all)(13) nephews). At the same time, I am the main employee, and the prices are incredible (potatoes 250 rubles. pud, etc.). Saves a little more, which O. N. receives in kind from many patients from the surrounding villages for his medicine. As for me. then the move from L(Eningrad) here, which lasted more than a month, ended badly for me: during the last move here by bus,

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Which ended in a nighttime disaster, I (...) I spent a month and a half in the hospital. Fortunately, I seem to have improved in this respect (...)

I work at the Institute of Schools of the People's Commissariat of Education(14), which was evacuated here, and I get 1000 rubles. Mitya was also arranged here in the office (Internet) foreign languages for 600 rubles. (From the academy I still get the old way).

He wrote a long article "The general educational significance of foreign languages and their place in the system of school subjects"(15). Now I am writing the book " Theory of r (Ussky) alf (avita)(16), p (US) spelling and p (US) punctuation". The third part is roughly written, but absolutely without books; even the controversial issues of Groth in the newer ed. are not present, and Ushakov is not present. Now our eyes are fixed on the vegetable gardens. But generally speaking, I would like to go to a big city. I don't know what's going to happen. The main thing, of course, is the war... It's hard, especially ( ... ) (...) (17).

I wish you and Nadezhda Matveevna all the best from your wife and from myself. The main thing, of course, is success at the front.

Sincerely yours, L. Scher(ba)

Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. f. 1602. On. 1. Ed. hr. N 377. Ll. 1-1 vol. An autograph.

T. G. Shcherba - N. M. and V. V. Vinogradov

March 16, 1951

Dear Nadezhda Matveevna and Viktor Vladimirovich,

Please accept my most sincere congratulations on receiving the Stalin Prize (18). I am very happy for both of you, I am glad that you were finally appreciated, Viktor Vladimirovich, as you deserve, and I am glad that after a long dark and then exciting time, you have real clear, warm days. Let them be for a long,long time, let them not end! Only one thing makes me sad that Lev Vladimirovich is dead. He suffered a lot for you "then" and would be very happy for you now. But what should I do? That was his fate. How do you live? how is your health? Do you sleep more, Viktor Vladimirovich, or do you still have no peace day or night?

I got your postcard. Nadezhda Matveyevna, I came from Uzkoye and was happy for you, but you still had a little rest and, apparently, you were happy there, although Viktor Vladimirovich also went to Moscow from there. You are too busy, look, don't get carried away, learn to take care of yourself a little, otherwise everyone is happy to use you one hundred percent now. And no one-no one, except Nadezhda Matveyevna, will take care of you. This is not our custom.

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I really wanted to see you, to visit you in your new rooms, but it seems that this will never come true. It is difficult for me to go to Moscow, it is difficult in all respects. But what about us? Nothing, we live, we also work, we also worry, and everyone is very tired. Winter according to the calendar has passed, but in fact now there are just big frosts and snowstorms. But the sun is already shining quite spring-like, and we have so much of it in the apartment, we have it all day. I wish Lev Vladimirovich would be happy. He always dreamed about it, our apartment on the 11th line was unsuccessful in this sense.

We live very peacefully, but not always quietly, young people take their toll, and often we have fun and noisy. In a word, everything is normal, everything is as it should be. Our young people enjoy music, ice skating, skiing and ping-pong. I've been very tired myself over the winter, and I feel quite old. This is also normal. Everyone, all of us ask you to send our big congratulations.

All the best to you.

Be healthy and prosperous. Dear Nadezhda Matveyevna, I give you a big kiss.

Loving You

T. Sherba

What is the fate of Lev Vladimirovich's books?

Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 1602. On. 1. Ed. hr. N 378. Ll. 1-2 vol. An autograph.

Notes

1 Obviously, L. V. Sherba has in mind his experiments on phonetics, some of which were published in the following publications: Shcherba L. V. On the question of transcription / / IORYAS, vol. XVI, book 4, 1911, pp. 161-181; Shcherba L. V. On the scientific and practical significance of talking machines[dok-lad} // A brief review of the activities of the Pedagogical Museum of Military Educational Institutions for the 1912/13 academic year, issue III. Activities of the Department of Foreign Languages of the museum's Educational committee. Pgr., 1914. pp. 107-111.

2 See: Durnovo N. N., Ushakov D. N. Textbook on Great Russian dialectology. Manual for teaching the Russian language in higher educational institutions, Moscow, 1910.

3 Refers to "Proceedings of the Moscow Dialectological Commission". 1st issue-1908, 2nd issue-1910

4 See: Shcherba L. V. Vostochnoluzhitskoe narechie [Eastern Russian Dialect], vol. I. Pgr., 1915.

5 See: Shcherba L. V. Some conclusions from my dialectological Luzhitsky observations (Appendix to the book " East Luzhitsky dialect). Vol. I Pgr., 1915.

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6 A. A. Buslaev was chairman of the Moscow Linguistic Circle in 1920-1922. This, apparently, was connected with the appeal of L. V. Shcherba to him.

7 L. V. Shcherba was a member of the group at the Academy of Sciences, which carried out the publication of the Dictionary of the Russian Language, which was started by Ya.K. Grot and then continued by A. A. Shakhmatov.

8 This refers to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of D. N. Ushakov's scientific activity, which took place on October 28, 1921, at the Historical Museum in Moscow.

9 See: Barkhudarov S. G., Dosycheva E. I. Grammatika russkogo yazyka [Grammar of the Russian language]. Textbook for incomplete secondary and secondary schools. Part 1. Phonetics and morphology. Moscow, 1938. The editorial board of this publication also included L. V. Shcherba.

10 See: Vinogradov V. V. L. V. Shcherba / / Russkiy yazyk v shkole [Russian language at school]. 1940. N 6. pp. 85-86 (note co-authored with S. I. Bernstein, B. A. Larin, and Ya. V. Loya).

11 The message doesn't end.

12 Ya. V. Loya-linguist, specialist in dialectology and general linguistics.

13 Reading the word presumptive.

14 For more information about the last years of L. V. Shcherba's life, see: Matusevich M. I. The last years of Lev Vladimirovich Shcherba's life (1880-1944) // Theory of language, methods of its research and teaching. To the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lev Vladimirovich Shcherba. l., 1981. pp. 14-20.

15 See: Shcherba L. V. Obshchestvennoe znachenie inostrannykh yazykov i mesto ikh v sisteme shkol'nykh predmetov [General educational significance of foreign languages and their place in the system of school subjects]. 1942. N 5-6. P. 30-40.

16 First published by M. I. Matusevich in the publication: Shcherba L. V. Teoriya russkogo pisma [Theory of Russian Writing] / / Shcherba L. V. Izbrannye raboty po russkomu yazyku [Selected works on the Russian language], Moscow, 1957, pp. 144-179. Later, the work of the scientist was published in a separate book: Shcherba L. V. Teoriya russkogo pisma [Theory of Russian Writing], Moscow, 1983.

17 Next, the entry is illegible.

March 18-14, 1951 V. V. Vinogradov received the Stalin Prize of the second degree for the book " The Russian Language (Grammatical teaching about the word) "(1st ed. Moscow, 1947).

Introduction, publication of letters and notes by O. V. Nikitin

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