In this paper, I offer a critical reflection on the thesis of the general educational value of foreign languages developed by Russian linguist Lev Vladimirovich Shcherba. I do so against the background of current debates on the positioning of foreign languages in the school curriculum in the United Kingdom (UK). I argue that Shcherba's thesis, which was developed almost a century ago, retains its currency and can make an important contribution to the ongoing discussion on the value of foreign languages in UK schools. The paper outlines Shcherba's scholarly explorations in general linguistics which underpin his arguments in favour of the inclusion of foreign languages in the basic school curriculum. The conception of language as a system immanently positioned in social experience assigns the foundational role to language in the literacy project. The conscious analytic processing of language phenomena is viewed as an essential precondition of literacy, and foreign languages are shown to be instrumental in developing such an analytic capacity of mind. Shcherba's argumentation reflects a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach, both to foreign language education and to curriculum matters, and merits the attention of language practitioners, educationalists, and policymakers alike.

Summary This contribution offers an introduction to an essay by the Russian linguist Lev Vladimirovič Ščerba (1880–1944), “О трояком аспекте языковых явлений и об эксперименте в языкознании” (“The threefold aspect of linguistic phenomena and experiment in linguistics”), which was first published in 1931. This introduction is followed by an annotated translation of Ščerba’s essay, proposed here for the first time to an English-speaking readership.1 The critical introduction provides the backstory behind Ščerba’s conception of language as a means of helping the reader to understand the connectedness of the various strands of his linguistic research. As is shown in our introduction, Ščerba’s general distinction between linguistic raw material, the linguistic system and individual speech activity (the “threefold aspect” alluded to in the title of his essay) serves as a framework to conceptualise metalinguistic practice and the relation of the social dimension of language to its individual embodiment. An examination of the explanatory potential of Ščerba’s conception of language for general linguistic problems suggests that his achievements lay in formulating a cohesive account of the interconnectedness of language phenomena, identifying the linguistic means with which to understand the social nature of language, and providing a theoretical basis for addressing the practical tasks of linguistics.

The focus of this paper is Selma Lagerlöf's literary presence in Soviet Russia. Despite being one of the most translated and published foreign authors in pre-revolutionary times, Lagerlöf made very infrequent appearances on the Soviet literary scene for 40-odd years between 1917 and the end of the 1950s. The process of literary production is examined in this paper in search of an explanation for the changing pattern in the publication of Lagerlöf's texts. To problematize the process of literary production in the newly-established Soviet state, Foucault's conceptualization of the process of knowledge construction is utilized to describe, understand and explain the interplay between critical resources, such as linguistic and literary expertise, individual initiative and the government-controlled publishing enterprise in the Soviet state. I argue that the agency of literary workers remained relevant to the literary process, despite increasing ideological pressure on literary production, and that they paved the way towards the official re-introduction of Lagerlöf to the Russian Soviet readership during the 1950s.

The focus of this paper is Selma Lagerlöf's literary presence in Soviet Russia. Despite being one of the most translated and published foreign authors in pre-revolutionary times, Lagerlöf made very infrequent appearances on the Soviet literary scene for 40-odd years between 1917 and the end of the 1950s. The process of literary production is examined in this paper in search of an explanation for the changing pattern in the publication of Lagerlöf's texts. To problematize the process of literary production in the newly-established Soviet state, Foucault's conceptualization of the process of knowledge construction is utilized to describe, understand and explain the interplay between critical resources, such as linguistic and literary expertise, individual initiative and the government-controlled publishing enterprise in the Soviet state. I argue that the agency of literary workers remained relevant to the literary process, despite increasing ideological pressure on literary production, and that they paved the way towards the official re-introduction of Lagerlöf to the Russian Soviet readership during the 1950s.