A Russian speaking English sounds like a criminal (starting at 1:00). And Russian, according to Trevor Noah, ‘sounds like someone’s playing a vinyl backwards’ (imitation starts at 4:06). Plus more humor about Russians, Russia, and the Russian language, by comedians like Louis C.K. Followed by jokes from the Russians themselves, shared by Ronald Reagan.

Russians are not known as a people who are generous with smiles. Smiling at people you don’t or barely know is more for fools, suspicious, or simply unnecessary. Смех без причины – признак дурачины (laughter without reason is a sign of foolishness). You could also say: Russians save their smiles for when they are truly sincere.

Russians themselves say Умом Россию не понять: the mind cannot comprehend Russia. These are the words (and the title) of a poem (1866) by Fyodor Tyutchev (in Russian Фёдор Тютчев):

Умом Россию не понять,
Аршином общим не измерить:
У ней особенная стать –
В Россию можно только верить.