Oswald’s Proficiency in the Russian Language

[Sandy Larsen]

Here is an informative, well written article about Oswald's remarkable Russian speaking ability. How did Oswald learn to read, write, and speak Russian like a native? Written by Prof. James Norwood, a member of the forum.
 

Oswald’s Proficiency in the Russian Language

 

Edited September 19, 2017 by Sandy Larsen

[James Norwood]

Sandy,

Thanks very much for this posting and for providing the link to the article.  Actually, I started a thread on this topic back on September 14, and there were thoughtful responses from users Ron Bulman and Jim Hargrove.

The matter of Oswald's proficiency in Russian touches on nearly all aspects of the profile of Oswald as originally formed by the Warren Commission.

Reams have been written about all aspects of Oswald and the JFK assassination.  But an essential event that helps to unpack this controversial life was when Oswald was discharged from the Marines and left for the Soviet Union in 1959.  What was the true intent of the "defection"?   A knowledge of Oswald's Russian language proficiency sheds light on that essential question.

[Paul Trejo]

Sandy,

Lee Harvey Oswald was unusually intelligent.  His cousin, Marilyn Murret, told the WC that young Lee would "read Encyclopedias the way other people would read novels."

Lee was self-educated from a very young age, being a latch-key kid, and having nothing else to do except read.  However, he dropped out of high school to join the Marines.

Marine buddy Nelson Delgado told the WC that he remembers that it was January, 1959, when Lee Harvey Oswald decided to help Fidel Castro and the Cuban cause (like many other young Americans in 1959, including Harry Dean, Gerry Patrick Hemming, Loran Hall, and Frank Sturgis).

At first Lee decided to learn Spanish, so that when he got out of the Marines at the end of 1959, he would travel to Cuba and help.  Nelson himself was a native Spanish speaker, so he attempted to help Lee learn Spanish.  He said that Lee was a very fast learner.  However, by February, 1959, Lee decided to learn Russian, instead.  Naturally, Nelson could not help Lee with this project, so he felt left out. 

Nelson didn't understand why Lee wanted to learn Russian all of a sudden.  But he did remember that Lee was always on Marine Base (at El Toro, California) and did not leave base with the other Marines on the weekend (except one time, when they went to Tijuana; Lee never went again).  Lee spent all his time listening to Berlitz Language tapes, and reading Russian magazines and newspapers.

Some of the Marines were miffed as Oswald for standing out that way, so they complained to their CO.  The CO questioned Oswald, and then decided that if a US citizen wanted to teach himself Russian, then he had every right.  And he permitted Oswald to continue to study Russian on his own.

Near the end of summer, 1959, Oswald decided he was ready for a Russian test, and so he asked his CO to set up a Russian test for him -- which the CO did.  Oswald didn't pass the test -- his grade was about 50/50.   By the end of 1959, Lee Oswald had decided to move to the USSR, and without surrendering his US passport or US citizenship, entered Russia on a temporary permit.

By allowing himself to become immersed in the Russian culture, from late 1959 to mid-1962 -- Oswald used the most important strategy for learning any foreign language -- immersion.  After 2.5 years of speaking no other language than Russian -- within a fully adult Russian working and living community -- Lee Harvey Oswald had an impressive command of the Russian language.

This was despite the fact that Oswald was a high-school dropout.   By contrast, the wealthy Ruth Paine studied Russian grammar in classrooms from high-school through college, and she told the WC that she could not carry on an ordinary Russian conversation with a native speaker.  This -- by the way -- is the norm.  Until we actually immerse ourselves in a foreign language for some period of time, then our conversation in that language sounds as amateur as travel-book sentences.

So -- Oswald's mastery of the Russian language was due to his immersion in the  language 1959-1962.

Regards,
--Paul Trejo

Edited September 19, 2017 by Paul Trejo
typos

[James Norwood]

32 minutes ago, Paul Trejo said:

So -- Oswald's mastery of the Russian language was due to his immersion in the  language 1959-1962.

Regards,
--Paul Trejo

Sorry, Paul

You offer no documentary evidence, no eyewitness evidence, and no quotes to back up your conclusions. 

By contrast, my article includes forty-one footnotes.

Get a life, and get to the sources!
 

[Mathias Baumann]

1 hour ago, Paul Trejo said:

Sandy,

Lee Harvey Oswald was unusually intelligent.  His cousin, Marilyn Murret, told the WC that young Lee would "read Encyclopedias the way other people would read novels."

Lee was self-educated from a very young age, being a latch-key kid, and having nothing else to do except read.  However, he dropped out of high school to join the Marines.

Marine buddy Nelson Delgado told the WC that he remembers that it was January, 1959, when Lee Harvey Oswald decided to help Fidel Castro and the Cuban cause (like many other young Americans in 1959, including Harry Dean, Gerry Patrick Hemming, Loran Hall, and Frank Sturgis).

At first Lee decided to learn Spanish, so that when he got out of the Marines at the end of 1959, he would travel to Cuba and help.  Nelson himself was a native Spanish speaker, so he attempted to help Lee learn Spanish.  He said that Lee was a very fast learner.  However, by February, 1959, Lee decided to learn Russian, instead.  Naturally, Nelson could not help Lee with this project, so he felt left out. 

Nelson didn't understand why Lee wanted to learn Russian all of a sudden.  But he did remember that Lee was always on Marine Base (at El Toro, California) and did not leave base with the other Marines on the weekend (except one time, when they went to Tijuana; Lee never went again).  Lee spent all his time listening to Berlitz Language tapes, and reading Russian magazines and newspapers.

Some of the Marines were miffed as Oswald for standing out that way, so they complained to their CO.  The CO questioned Oswald, and then decided that if a US citizen wanted to teach himself Russian, then he had every right.  And he permitted Oswald to continue to study Russian on his own.

Near the end of summer, 1959, Oswald decided he was ready for a Russian test, and so he asked his CO to set up a Russian test for him -- which the CO did.  Oswald didn't pass the test -- his grade was about 50/50.   By the end of 1959, Lee Oswald had decided to move to the USSR, and without surrendering his US passport or US citizenship, entered Russia on a temporary permit.

By allowing himself to become immersed in the Russian culture, from late 1959 to mid-1962 -- Oswald used the most important strategy for learning any foreign language -- immersion.  After 2.5 years of speaking no other language than Russian -- within a fully adult Russian working and living community -- Lee Harvey Oswald had an impressive command of the Russian language.

This was despite the fact that Oswald was a high-school dropout.   By contrast, the wealthy Ruth Paine studied Russian grammar in classrooms from high-school through college, and she told the WC that she could not carry on an ordinary Russian conversation with a native speaker.  This -- by the way -- is the norm.  Until we actually immerse ourselves in a foreign language for some period of time, then our conversation in that language sounds as amateur as travel-book sentences.

So -- Oswald's mastery of the Russian language was due to his immersion in the  language 1959-1962.

Regards,
--Paul Trejo

Paul,

I've posted about this before. Oswald's Russian was already quite good BEFORE he went to the USSR.

Quote

I'm not yet convinced of the two Oswalds theory, but I think the question how Oswald learned Russian so quickly does merit some serious consideration.

First of all I asked myself: How difficult was the test Oswald took? So I did some googling on U.S. Military language tests and I found this bit of information:

"People wishing to work as military language analysts are required to maintain at least L2/R2 proficiency." Source: https://www.german-way.com/levels-of-language-proficiency-my-life-in-germany/

L2/R2 is the level of an advanced beginner, which I think roughly equates to the A2 level of the Common European Framework (CEF). You need to take on average 80 to 120 individual (one-on-one) lessons (a lesson being 45 minutes) or 400 lessons of a group course to reach this level in the German language (provided that you already know the Roman Alphabet). These numbers do not include the time you need for homework, mind you.

And Russian is even more difficult than German. It's considered a level 3 language (German is level 2): https://www.thebalance.com/defense-language-aptitude-battery-3332702 So considering Oswald was of average intelligence I estimate he would've needed at least somewhere between 100 to 200 lessons of instruction plus about the same amount of time to prepare for the lessons in order to pass the Marine Corps test. And that is a low and optimistic estimate.

But maybe Oswald was highly intelligent and able to learn foreign languages more quickly than others? I took a look at his school career.

It turns out he was rather intelligent:

Lee scored an IQ of 118 on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. According to Sokolow, this indicated a "present intellectual functioning in the upper range of bright normal intelligence." 67 Sokolow said that although Lee was "presumably disinterested in school subjects he operates on a much higher than average level." 68 On the Monroe Silent Reading Test, Lee's score indicated no retardation in reading speed and comprehension; he had better than average ability in arithmetical reasoning for his age group. 69

Source: https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/chapter-7.html#newyork

But I found no evidence that he ever learned a foreign language at school, so I presume he was unfamiliar with the necessary techniques. On the other hand Nelson Delgado is supposed to have taught Oswald Spanish, which might indicate that Oswald learned languages quickly. But the important point here is that he had an instructor - Delgado.

Language is all about communication, so without an interlocutor it is very hard to learn a language, because actual practice is an integral part of the whole process. So my conclusion is that Oswald would not have passed the test without intensive regular instruction.

This link is also very interesting: http://www.dliflc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Generic-Fam-Guide-MC-CBu-updated.pdf

The target level of foreign language tests in the US military is L5/R5. So if Oswald got about 50 percent of the questions right, that means he reached level L2/R2. And without instruction that is EXTREMELY difficult, especially considering the difficulty of Russian. I'm sure he received extensive training.

[James Norwood]

1 hour ago, Mathias Baumann said:

The target level of foreign language tests in the US military is L5/R5. So if Oswald got about 50 percent of the questions right, that means he reached level L2/R2. And without instruction that is EXTREMELY difficult, especially considering the difficulty of Russian. I'm sure he received extensive training.

 

Mathias,

You provide an excellent overview above.  Thanks!

Regarding Oswald's exam score on the  Department of Army's Russian language proficiency test, Lt. Col. Alison Folsom provided a breakdown of the results for the Warren Commission.  There were three components to the exam, suggesting that this was a comprehensive test.  Oswald's scores were as follows:   understanding (-5), reading (+4), writing (+3), with the composite +2 indicating that Oswald answered two more questions correctly than those that he missed on the exam.  So, the young man scored better than 50% on this challenging exam.

Another factor needs to be considered, based on Col. Folsom's testimony:  Oswald was also administered tests in cognitive abilities in English, including reading and vocabulary; arithmetical computation; and pattern analysis.  His scores on these tests were all rated as “poor.”  Oswald was even administered a “radio code test,” in which Lt. Colonel Folsom indicated that Oswald’s score was in the bottom, or the “lowest” in results.  

For those who claim that Oswald had an innate intelligence that permitted him to learn Russian by self-study and "immersion," how can one explain the all-around negative scores he received on basic cognitive abilities?

 

The Warren Commission interview with Lt. Colonel Allison Folsom may be read at the following site:

http://www.whokilledjfk.net/oswsald_learning_russian.htm     
 

Edited September 19, 2017 by James Norwood

[Sandy Larsen]

5 hours ago, James Norwood said:

Another factor needs to be considered, based on Col. Folsom's testimony:  Oswald was also administered tests in cognitive abilities in English, including reading and vocabulary; arithmetical computation; and pattern analysis.  His scores on these tests were all rated as “poor.”

James,

Thanks for pointing that out, I'd not heard of that before. This should be pointed out to anybody who doubts Oswald's Russian speaking ability prior to his defection to Russia. It indicates that Oswald's Russian was about as good as his English. And we've all heard how well Oswald spoke English. (Admittedly his English writing skills weren't so stellar.)

My apologies for re-posting this... I'd forgotten that it was posted before outside the H&L thread. But it looks like it served as a good bump.

 

[Paul Trejo]

18 hours ago, James Norwood said:

Sorry, Paul

You offer no documentary evidence, no eyewitness evidence, and no quotes to back up your conclusions. 

By contrast, my article includes forty-one footnotes.

Get a life, and get to the sources!
 

James,

I absolutely did offer BOTH documentary AND eyewitness evidence.

I gather that you're just unfamiliar with the Warren Commission testimonies.

Regards,

--Paul Trejo

[Sandy Larsen]

20 hours ago, Paul Trejo said:

Lee spent all his time listening to Berlitz Language tapes...

What's your source for that, Paul?

 

[Glenn Nall]

eager to read this when i get a moment. that Doctor fellow (Walt Brown) who wrote that Chronology set, who speaks Russian, made the same claim - that he never had time nor opportunity to learn such a harrowing language, and that there were plenty of O's peers who never saw him studying Russian language books, that he maybe listened to the music and "read" some literature, but that's about it.

[Sandy Larsen]

20 hours ago, Paul Trejo said:

Near the end of summer, 1959, Oswald decided he was ready for a Russian test, and so he asked his CO to set up a Russian test for him -- which the CO did.  Oswald didn't pass the test -- his grade was about 50/50.

 

It wasn't a graded test, Paul. It was a test of Oswald's level of fluency in Russian.

Given that 100% would be perfect fluency, 50% isn't bad. I suspect it would be about the level of a kid in elementary or junior high school.

 

Edited September 20, 2017 by Sandy Larsen

[James Norwood]

6 hours ago, Paul Trejo said:

James,

I absolutely did offer BOTH documentary AND eyewitness evidence.

I gather that you're just unfamiliar with the Warren Commission testimonies.

Regards,

--Paul Trejo

Paul,

This thread began with a link to my article, which includes multiple references to the Warren Commission testimonies.

Why don't you read and critique the article instead of just mouthing off?

James


P.S.  By the way, the sign of an astute student of the JFK case is the ability to recognize which eyewitnesses are reliable and which ones are suspect.  Your reliance on the testimony of Marilyn Dorothea Murret says it all:  you appear to be unaware that she had close ties to the CIA.  Or are you?

Edited September 20, 2017 by James Norwood

[Paul Trejo]

2 hours ago, James Norwood said:

Paul,

This thread began with a link to my article, which includes multiple references to the Warren Commission testimonies.

Why don't you read and critique the article instead of just mouthing off?

James


P.S.  By the way, the sign of an astute student of the JFK case is the ability to recognize which eyewitnesses are reliable and which ones are suspect.  Your reliance on the testimony of Marilyn Dorothea Murret says it all:  you appear to be unaware that she had close ties to the CIA.  Or are you?

James,

I feel sorry for anybody who thinks that Marilyn Murret, school teacher, was a CIA agent.  They probably see CIA agents everywhere, like the JBS saw Communists everywhere.

Regards,
--Paul Trejo

Edited September 20, 2017 by Paul Trejo

[Paul Trejo]

7 hours ago, Sandy Larsen said:

What's your source for that, Paul?

Sandy,

I have two sources for my claim that Lee Harvey Oswald taught himself Russian by using Berlitz.   The first is Priscilla Johnson McMillan, in her initial article on Oswald.  You probably know about that one.

But the second source is a sideways confirmation from Nelson Delgado.  Nelson was not particularly educated himself -- so this could explain why he insisted that Lee Harvey Oswald went to Berlin to learn Russian.  Here's the WC testimony:

Mr. LIEBELER - You say that you thought he was in Berlin going to school?
Mr. DELGADO - Yes. For some reason or other. I can't say right now why, but it just seemed to me that I thought he was going to school there.
Mr. LIEBELER - After you were discharged from the Marine Corps, you learned that Oswald had gone to the Soviet Union, did you not?
Mr. DELGADO - I knew he had gone to the Soviet Union before I got discharged...
Mr. LIEBELER - But even though you had heard before you had gotten out of the Marine Corps that Oswald had gone to the Soviet Union, while you were the Army in Germany you gained the impression that somehow that he was in Berlin, going to school?
Mr. DELGADO - Yes; in the university there.
Mr. LIEBELER - But you don't have any recollection of where you got this idea?
Mr. DELGADO - No...

They went around and around on this, but the logical conclusion is that Delgado saw a Berlitz book in Lee's possession there at El Toro, and misread it as Berlin.

Regards,
--Paul Trejo

 

 

Edited September 20, 2017 by Paul Trejo

[Glenn Nall]

27 minutes ago, Paul Trejo said:

James,

I feel sorry for anybody who thinks that Marilyn Murret, school teacher, was a CIA agent.  They probably see CIA agents everywhere, like the JBS saw Communists everywhere.

Regards,
--Paul Trejo

he didn't say "agent," Paul. he said "had close ties with." There's a difference, and having close ties with the CIA is mysterious enough for most logically driven people. And this fact, coupled with that she was O's cousin, and associated closely (not an agent for) Dutz Murret, would typically be enough to toss her testimony in the lake.

"would typically..."

I seem to remember another thread wherein you had some difficulty distinguishing between "agent" and "asset." Wherein you spun others' words in weak defense.

I think it was you. I could be wrong.

Nevertheless - what size shoe do you wear...?