Alexander Koryagin:

AK> Maybe -- a  translation  is  generally  longer.  In this
AK> case, in addition to the fact  that  Russian  words  are
AK> generally  longer  than English, it can be an additional
AK> factor that makes it difficult for a Russian  to  under-
AK> stand  quick  English speech. A translation from English
AK> makes it longer! ;-)

You will explain anything. If Russian words  were  generally
shorter  than  English  ones,  you  could again say that the
sheer length of English words hampered Russians in  perceiv-
ing them at high rate.

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